Mamma Mia! After The Wedding THE SEQUEL!
by ImADynamo
Summary: Now Donna is expecting Sam's baby on Valentines Day, will everything run smoothly for the perfect couple? Will there be even more drama ahead for the Carmichael's? This is the sequel to Mamma Mia! After The Wedding! Please feel free to check it out!
1. Chapter 1

N.B. Well I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you, to all of you that read and reviewed my last MM! story…You're the best and as you all wanted it all so much…Here is the sequel to MM! After The Wedding! Dunno how far I can run with this one, but I am open to plot suggestions from you all (it is your story after all!) Just message me and I will see what I can do lol… Dedicated as always, to Mel & Viki, my own Dynamos and thanks for my Birthday surprises, they were both fantastic!!! Mwahs… For the Livettes too, hugs girlies! Thanks to Charliiee for her pressie too! Xxx

***********

Chapter 1 Family

***********

It was the week before Christmas on Kalokairi and over three months since Donna had told Sam about their impending new arrival, into the Carmichael family. He had been overjoyed at the news, fussing around his wife and driving her somewhat insane with it. Everyone else had been really pleased for them too, all except, for Sophie. She hadn't taken the supposedly exciting news well at all and didn't speak to her mother for a whole week after finding out. Sophie's argument had been, that she thought Donna was too old to be having another child and that the risks were too high, putting her beloved mother in danger. The two Sheridan women had been as stubborn as each other, both refusing to apologise to one another, after the mother of all rows over it all. Even though Donna could see her daughter's point of view, it didn't deter her for one second, or make her have second thoughts over the pregnancy. She was totally in love with her husband and couldn't wait to have his child, bringing them even closer together as a couple. Yes, they _might _have already shared that special bond, but unless they knew for sure, they just had to assume, or in Donna's case, pray, that Sam was indeed Sophie's biological father.

After the week of seeing both the women in his life, sad and upset, Sam made them both sit down and talk things through rationally. It had worked to a certain extent, although things still seemed a little strained between mother and daughter, for quite some time afterwards. Sophie showed no interest in the scan pictures of her unborn brother or sister and decided she needed a break from the daily routine at the villa. She booked herself and baby Emma, onto a flight to London, telling her mother, she'd possibly be back for Christmas. This had left Donna feeling completely heartbroken, but she had to stay strong for her baby's sake and keep her husband calm about Sophie running after Sky again. When Sam had found out that Sky had been visiting the hotel while they'd been in New York, he had gone mad, leading to him storming off to the mainland, in search of the young man. Luckily, Sky had already moved on with friends, before heading back to London to start a new job in the city. Donna knew her daughter still had feelings for her ex-fiancé, but all she could do, was sit back and let her learn from her own mistakes. Like time and time before, she'd be there to pick up the pieces of Sophie's broken heart and do her best to console her precious baby girl, when all inevitably went wrong.

"What are you doing down here darling?" Asked Sam, walking slowly up behind his wife, as she sat on the secluded beach and peered out across the tranquil waters. "You're supposed to be on bed rest remember?"

Turning her head and smiling sweetly at her concerned husband, Donna quickly wiped her silent tears away with the back of her hand. "I needed some fresh air Sam." She replied, as she sat cross-legged on the warm sand. "I hate been cooped up in that room."

Sitting down on the sand behind his gorgeous wife, Sam wrapped his arms around her and placed his hands on her growing bump. "I know you do sweetheart, but the doctor is concerned about your blood pressure and wants you to take it easy for a while." He responded, leaning his head close to kiss Donna's sun kissed shoulder, next to the thin strap of her dress.

Rolling her eyes, Donna leant back further into her husband's tender embrace and sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I know." She said, placing her hands over Sam's on her stomach. "So don't kiss me like that, when you know you can't give me what I need." She added, as Sam placed another slow, sensual kiss on her neck.

It had been two weeks since Donna's regular check up with Dr. Christou and he had discovered her blood pressure to be a little too high. He hadn't been overly concerned, but had put Donna on bed rest until the next scheduled appointment, just to be on the safe side. Sam's fussing over her had then increased and he watched her like a hawk when he wasn't out working, or enlisted the help of the Dynamos when he had to go out. Staying in bed had driven Donna stir-crazy, when all she wanted to be doing, was getting on with things around the hotel and living her life as normal as possible. Even though the doctor hadn't said it in so many words, he had also implied that sex was to be off the agenda until further notice, leaving Donna well and truly frustrated. With the pregnancy hormones raging through her body, she was still horny as ever and now had no way of relieving her sexual appetite, as Sam didn't want to come near her in that way. He was just content holding her tight and showering her growing bump with loving kisses, not wanting to put mother and baby's health at risk.

"If we can get you're blood pressure back to normal by the next hospital visit, I can assure you Mrs. Carmichael, there'll be no stopping me." Giggled Sam, now gently nibbling on his wife's earlobe. "Believe me baby, this is as hard for me, as it is for you."

Closing her eyes, Donna could feel herself starting to become aroused under her husband's lips. "Oh I don't think so honey. I feel like I'm going to explode if you don't make love to me soon." She said, her breathing becoming a little shallow. "Can't we just do it once. Then I promise to be a good girl and stay in bed until the next appointment." She continued, pulling her head away from his touch and turning her face to look into Sam's eyes. "Please?" She finished, biting down on her lower lip, as she watched a smirk creep onto her husband's face.

"You are a very bad woman Donna." Whispered Sam, looking as though he was seriously contemplating the offer. "But no. You heard Dr. Christou, no excitement or overexertion."

Sighing, Donna gazed back out towards the ocean. "Well what about if I just lay there, let you do all the work and I don't get excited?" She said, causing Sam to burst out laughing at her.

Shaking his head, Sam giggled. "We both know that's not possible sweetheart." He answered, gently caressing his wife's perfect, neat baby bump.

Even though Donna was due to give birth in less than two months, her bump was still small and from behind, she didn't even look pregnant at all. It wasn't until she turned round, that people noticed she was in fact with child. It hadn't worried her too much, as she had remained quite small when pregnant with Sophie and it wasn't until the last few remaining weeks, that she had then seemed to grow bigger and bigger by the day. Dr. Christou was happy with baby's progress too and had asked if they wanted to know the sex of their child. Donna had said no instantly and although he wanted to know, Sam had respected his wife's wishes and decided it all added to the excitement of finding out at the birth. He still couldn't quite believe he was going to be a father again, after all these years and more importantly, with the most amazing woman he'd ever known.

"So are you going to tell me why you were crying when I got down here darling?" Asked Sam, still resting his hands on his wife's tummy, as he too then gazed out across the water.

Donna had thought she'd got away with Sam not noticing her tears, but these days, her husband seemed to pick up on everything. She subtly shrugged her shoulders and let out a quiet sigh. Not knowing exactly what had set her off this time, Donna had had quite a few things on her mind lately. The main one of course being her changing relationship with her daughter and the fact she felt as though Sophie was running away from things, rather than confronting them head on. A trait the younger woman had most definitely inherited from her mother. Maybe it was just another one of those 'Sheridan' things.

"I guess it's everything with Soph. I miss her." Said Donna quietly, as her hands found her bump too. "I miss Emma and the boys… I miss my kids."

Sam's heart sank slowly in his chest. His wife was pining over their children and grandchild, Christmas was only a week away and he had some important news of his own. He knew Donna wasn't going to take it very well, but it was business, it had to be done. He owed it to James and the firm.

Gently rocking Donna in his arms, Sam took his time before choosing the right words to break it to her. "The boys will be here next week darling and I'm sure Sophie won't miss spending the holidays with her family. She just needed time to come to terms with things." He said, tenderly kissing her neck. "But I also need to tell you something sweetheart." He added gingerly, as his wife turned her head, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him.

"What is it Sam?" Said Donna, trying hard to read her husband's facial expressions. "Just tell me."

Staring deep into Donna's ocean green eyes, Sam took a sharp intake of breath. "Well, it looks like James may have just secured that huge job for Cipriani, but…" He said, but trailing off, not knowing how his wife was going to react to the next part.

"But?" Donna asked nervously, now realising where her husband could've been heading with this.

"But…I need to go to New York and make sure it all goes through." Answered Sam, seeing the tears instantly form in his wife's eyes. "I promise you darling, it will only be for two days and I'll be back here before you know it." He finished, trying to sugar-coat it, as best he could.

Closing her eyes, before the tears could escape, Donna shook her head. "Well that's just great." She replied in a sarcastic tone and gazing back out to sea. "Why doesn't everyone just leave me now?…First my daughter, then Rosie disappears off to Paris on some crazy cooking trip and then you." She continued, her body stiffening against Sam's, as she felt herself becoming angry. "So you're going to leave me with Tanya, who I haven't seen in the past three days by the way and tell me you'll be back before I know it?"

Sam began to massage Donna's tense shoulders. "I'm sorry sweetheart…I really don't want to go, but I need to. I am a partner remember?" He said, feeling his wife start to relax once more.

He did have to go, Donna knew that, but it didn't stop her feeling sorry for herself. This part of her pregnancy was definitely not fun and now she was going to lose her husband for a few days because the doctor was never going to let her fly now. Sam really didn't want to leave Donna, but he told himself, as soon as the paperwork was signed, he'd be on the very next flight home to be by her side.

"Promise me you won't meet some thin, pretty girl in New York and leave me." Said Donna, finally smiling at her husband.

Giggling at his wife's question, Sam pulled her back against the soft sand. "Why the hell would I do that, when I've got all that and more right here baby?" He responded, looking intensely into Donna's eyes, before brushing his lips against hers in a passionate kiss.

"Sweet talker." Whispered Donna, in between flicks of her tongue against her husband's, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

********

Packing Sam's bag for him, made Donna emotional all over again. He had only left her once before, at the very beginning of their marriage and she remembered back to how down it had made her feel. It was as though she couldn't function fully without her husband by her side and who'd have ever thought, strong, independent Donna Sheridan, would ever need a mad like that? Certainly not her, that was for sure.

Walking out of the bathroom and throwing his toiletry bag into the holdall on the bed, Sam paused and smiled at his wife. "Thanks sweetheart, you didn't have to do that." He said, pulling her close into his arms.

"Yes I did. You always forget something." Answered Donna, gently trailing her hands down her husband's chest. "Can I take you down to the dock honey?"

"Nice try sweetheart, but you're going to be good and get your feet up." Sam replied, planting a sweet kiss on the tip of his wife's nose. "And before you get any ideas, I've given the guys strict instructions to report back to me if you try and do anything around the hotel." He added, bending down to kiss Donna's bump.

Donna sighed and ran her hand through Sam's hair. "You've thought of everything haven't you?" She said, as he straightened up and stroked her cheek.

Nodding, Sam smiled at her. "Yes. Now remember, you can get hold of me day or night and if you need to, get Dr. Christou to come and see you." He said, in a matter of fact tone. "His direct number is on the pad on your desk."

"Yes boss." Replied Donna, saluting Sam and poking her tongue out at him. "I'll be fine, as long as this little wriggler doesn't keep me up again all night." She laughed, placing her hand on the top of her baby bump.

Smiling lovingly at his glowing wife, Sam took her into his arms once more. Since becoming pregnant, Donna had become even more radiant and Sam couldn't help just staring at her. She had never felt better and hated that no one would let her do anything, when she was so used to doing practically everything around the place…_Only a few more weeks to go, _Donna kept telling herself, in order to stay sane.

Placing a slow and delicate kiss on Donna's lips, Sam rested his forehead against hers. "I love you so much." He whispered, sliding his hand down to the dip of her back.

Gently cupping Sam's face in her hands, Donna kissed him back. "I love you too." She whispered in response. "Call me when you land."

Without saying another word, Sam picked up his bag from the bed and made his way to the bedroom door. He turned to look at his beautiful wife, one last time and took in her looks to keep him going over the next two days. Donna tilted her head to one side and gave him a smile, watching as he slowly walked out and closed the door behind him. That was it, he was gone. Rosie was supposed to back the following day, so at least Donna had something to look forward to. She had missed her friend and Tanya too, although she had no idea where the leggy brunette had got to. Tanya had gone out on a date with Nikos, three days ago and hadn't been seen since. Under normal circumstances, a friend would be worried, but Donna wasn't. She was always pulling stunts like that, from way back when Donna had met her before the Dynamos formed. That was Tanya, carefree, irresponsible and a little on the wild side.

Stifling a yawn, Donna peered at the clock on her nightstand and decided she'd take a small nap before lunch. She climbed onto Sam's side of the bed and laid her head down on his pillow. It still held his scent from hours earlier and pulling the sheets around her body, Donna fell asleep almost instantly, breathing him in. She hadn't been asleep for that long, before she heard someone coming up the stairs, towards her bedroom. The familiar clicking of high heels, brought Donna round from her light slumber, before a knock on the door was heard.

"Come in Tanya, it's open." Called Donna, sitting up in the bed and leaning against the headboard, as the door slowly creaked open. "Well would you look at what the tide brought in." She continued, looking her friend up and down, shaking her head at her.

Pausing in the doorway, Tanya raised her eyebrow at Donna and laughed. "When I left three days ago, you were in the exact same position Sheridan. Please tell me, you have been out of bed at least once?" She asked, now walking over to the bed and climbing on beside her best friend.

Rolling her eyes at the brunette's question, Donna crossed her legs in front of her. "Yes, I've been out, but Sam has me under house arrest." Answered Donna, peering at Tanya's clothes. "Where the hell have you been woman?… You're still in the same dress you went out in."

"Nikos ended up taking me to Athens, to show me his new business venture and I have to say, I'm pretty impressed by your husband's work sweetie." Tanya responded, tapping Donna on the knee. "Speaking of whom…Where is Sammy Boy?" She asked, glancing over towards the bathroom.

Letting out a loud sigh, Donna slumped down in the bed next to her friend. "He's catching a flight to New York as we speak." She replied, fluffing her husband's pillow up under her head and staring up at the ceiling. "He's got a major deal he has to make and I think James expects him to be there."

Tanya's body tensed at the sound of her ex's name. The last time she'd seen him, she'd been throwing Greek pottery at his head and he'd left Kalokairi near enough immediately afterwards. Although she hadn't admitted it to her friends, Tanya still thought about 'number two' and her fun, yet brief fling with him. Deep down, she still cared for him and although she'd never in a million years say the words, Tanya still loved Mr. Carrington. Right now though, she was busy having fun with Donna's friend and even though she knew it wouldn't go any further, she was enjoying Nikos' s company.

"Typical." Snorted Tanya, laying back and staring up at the ceiling too. "Why does it take two men to secure a deal? Sam should have sent me over there. I'd have had things signed with the click of my fingers."

Giggling, Donna nudged her friend in the ribs. "Yeah, or a flash of your tits." She said, causing Tanya to crack up laughing too.

"Donna Sheridan Carmichael…Or whatever your bloody name is these days. What do you take me for?" Said Tanya, waving her hands around dramatically.

Turning her head to face her friend, Donna tried to keep a straight face. "Ermm going missing with a man for three days… Need I say more honey?" She asked, now biting down on her lip, to stop herself bursting out laughing at Tanya's shocked expression.

Now smirking, Tanya looked back at Donna. "No you don't have to say anything else. I get your point." She responded, as Donna couldn't stop herself letting out her giggles.

Both women then stayed silent for a few minutes, just laying still and soaking up the peace and quiet of the airy bedroom. Donna was deep in thought once more about Sophie and whether or not she'd bother to come back to Greece for the holidays. She hoped she would, as it was going to be Emma's first Christmas and she'd bought her all sorts of gifts she wanted to watch her open on the day. Tanya heard her best friend let out a quiet sigh and she turned onto her side to look at Donna's sad face. She knew Donna hadn't really got over Sophie just upping and leaving the way that she had, but she also thought Sam had managed to put her mind at rest for the time being.

"Alright Sheridan, under normal circumstances, I would ask you if you wanted to join me for a drink…But in your condition, it's probably not the best of ideas." Smiled Tanya, gently prodding Donna's bump. "So how about I make us some lunch?… I'll even let you eat it by the bar and promise not to tell Sam."

Donna smiled at her friend's attempt to cheer her up. "That sound's fantastic." She answered, easing herself off the bed and placing her feet on the floor. "But how about I make us something to eat…You're banned from my kitchen remember?" She finished, slipping on her pumps and heading for the bedroom door.

"Oh thank god for that." Laughed Tanya, hauling her tired body off Donna's bed and following her out the room. "Now that's a much better plan."

********

The next day dragged terribly for Donna and she couldn't actually wait for it to end, so she could go to bed. Sam had called her late the previous evening from New York and it had taken all her strength not to cry down the phone, worrying him when he was so far away. Their conversation lasted hours, as neither of them wanted to hang up and by the time they'd actually ended the call, the sun was already coming up over Kalokairi.

Relaxing back on a chair by the bar, Donna placed her feet up on the opposite one and peered at her swollen ankles. Although she'd promised her husband, she'd take it easy, Donna had actually completed a list of chores that had been bugging her for days. She hated neglecting work, but now she was paying for it through sheer exhaustion and water retention.

Looking up, after hearing the familiar tones of Rosie's voice, Donna smiled as her friend appeared in the courtyard from the entrance steps. "Hey honey, how was your trip?" She asked, as Rosie dumped her bag on the ground and walked over to the bar.

"BONJOUR!" Shouted Rosie, with a huge grin on her face. "The trip was amazing and I've got loads of new material to finish the book off." She continued, bending down to give Donna a kiss on the cheek. "My god, you're getting big…How've you been Don?"

Laughing, Donna reached for her ice water and took a long sip. "I'm fine sweetie. Just waiting for the Doctor to tell me my blood pressure's dropped." She answered, signalling for her friend to sit down and join her. "My husband's left me, my daughter hates me…Other than that, I'm just great." She finished, with a roll of her eyes.

Rosie's face was a mix of shock and confusion. "Okay, backup Sheridan." She said, now frowning, as she tried to get everything straight in her head. "Sam's left you? What the hell's gone on there then?"

Giggling, Donna took Rosie's hand. "Don't worry honey, it's not permanent. He's gone to New York on business. He should be home tomorrow night." She said, now smiling at her best friend's concern for her.

"Thank goodness, you scared the crap out of me then." Rosie replied, swatting Donna's hand and shaking her head. "And I take it Sophie's not home then yet?"

Not answering, Donna just shook her head slowly. She could feel the tears beginning to well up in her eyes once more and she took a deep breath to compose herself. Just the thought of her precious Daughter thinking she had to run thousands of miles away from her, made her feel so sad…_When she told everyone about her pregnancy, she never in her wildest dreams, thought Sophie would react the way she did. Donna hoped her first born would've been happy for her, knowing how madly in love she was with Sam… It was a natural progression in their relationship, wasn't it? So why had Sophie been so hard on her? Was she jealous? Did she think she wasn't going to be loved as much by her mother?…What the hell goes on in her pretty little head? _Donna had asked herself, over and over.

"So when do you have to go see Dr. Christou again?" Asked Rosie, bringing Donna out of her thoughts and realising she'd probably done the wrong thing by mentioning Sophie.

Taking another sip of water, Donna looked down at her wiggling toes and puffy ankles. "Tomorrow." She answered, then looking up at her friend. "Will you come with me?"

As a huge grin spread across Rosie's face, she leant forward and kissed her friend's cheek once more. "Of course I will mate. I'd love to." She said, before standing up and walking over to the bar to get herself a refreshing glass of Chardonnay.

Rosie had been so excited since hearing her best friend was having a baby. In some way, it was like she knew she'd never have children herself, but loved being around little kids. Everyone could see how great Rosie was with baby Emma and she'd been really sad herself, when Sophie had left with the tot. Even Tanya had warmed to the child and it had become a regular sight, seeing the once child phobic woman, feeding Emma her morning breakfast by the bar. Overall, Sophie's leaving had had quiet an affect on all those around her and Rosie could only imagine what pain Donna must be feeling.

Hearing the phone ringing in reception, Donna quickly left her seat and jogged over the courtyard to answer it. Checking the time on the clock, before she lifted the receiver, she knew exactly who was going to be on the end of the line.

Picking the phone up and dropping down to take a seat at her desk, Donna couldn't help but smile "Well hey sexy." She answered in a low, alluring tone. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too darling. How've you been?" Sam asked down the phone from his New York hotel room.

"I'm good." Answered Donna, as her hand instinctively fell to her baby bump. "Rosie's back and has agreed to come to the doctors appointment with me tomorrow… How did your meeting go?"

"It went exceptionally well sweetheart. We got the contract and will be finalising tomorrow morning." Sam responded happily. "I can't wait to get home to you."

With the hugest smile creeping across her face, Donna played with the telephone cord. "I can't wait until I get the all clear tomorrow, so you can come home and make love to me." She replied, her mind wandering to the thought of Sam being back in their bed with her soon. "I'm proud of you honey, well done."

Sam laughed at his wife's cheeky reply. "Now that makes me want to come home now." He said, still giggling at the thought. "I'll see you tomorrow night baby…Don't wait up though."

Still smiling, Donna leant her elbows against the desk in front of her. "It's a date." She said, fiddling with a lose stand of her golden hair. "I love you darling."

"I love you too…Sleep well sweetheart." Said Sam, before blowing his wife a kiss down the phone and hanging up.

Donna held the phone to her ear, until the line went dead and she was sure her husband had gone. Just speaking to Sam for a few minutes, could cheer her up no end. Yes she'd missed him badly, but now he'd completed the deal in New York, she knew he'd do his up most best, to get home to her as soon as possible. With that weight lifted off her shoulders, all Donna could think about now, was if Sophie was going to do the same and come back in time for Christmas day.

*************

A.N. Well there ya go hunnies…Hope you liked the first chapter of the sequel? You know what to do for further instalments…Press the button! Lol

It really is your story, so please do feel free to message me with any suggestions… Loads of love, Liv x


	2. Chapter 2 Gone Well?

N.B. Thank you all for your sweet reviews hunnies…Mwahs for you all! Glad you liked it so far… Dedicated to my lovely Dynamos and the ickle Livettes! Enjoy! X

**************

Chapter 2 Gone well?

*********

The doctors appointment seemed to be going well for Donna, with Dr. Christou smiling throughout. Climbing off the examination bed, with a little help from Rosie, Donna giggled at the sight of her best friend, wiping a tear from her eye. Seeing the tiny baby wriggling about on the ultrasound monitor, had brought a lump to the Dynamos throat. It was the first time she'd ever seen anything like it before and for some strange reason, had got Rosie all overcome with emotion. Donna on the other hand, was used to the procedure by now, as every time she attended the hospital, she was asked to lay back and allow the doctor to check on baby Carmichael.

"Baby is growing well Mrs. Carmichael." Said Dr. Christou, looking up at the two women sat in front of him, after writing a few notes in Donna's thick medical file. "Just your blood pressure to check, then you're free to go."

Turning to face her best friend, Donna smiled at her. "You okay Rosie?" She asked, gently rubbing her arm. "You got a bit teary there honey."

Smiling lovingly back at Donna, the Dynamo nodded. "I'm fine love. I just think it's fabulous your having a baby with Sam." She replied, placing her hand over Donna's. "You two are made for each other."

"You think so?" Asked Donna with a quiet giggle, as she watched the doctor setting up the blood pressure monitor.

"I know so." Rosie laughed, watching as Dr. Christou slid the cuff up her friend's arm.

It was true. She and Tanya had often talked about it amongst themselves. They had both noticed a massive change in their best friend, over the past year and a change for the better…_Donna had always been a strong and fiercely independent woman, doing her own thing, no matter what anyone thought of her. She was unique, practical and most of all, fun loving, making herself adored by all who really knew her…She hadn't needed a man for any of this and had concentrated fully on raising her daughter, whilst running a business to secure their future. It wasn't until Sam showed up on Kalokairi and professed his undying love for her, that the Dynamos saw Donna soften. From the second their friend had said 'I do' to Sam in the chapel, it was plainly obvious that they were madly in love with one another and meant to spend the rest of their lives together._

Donna stared intensely at the blood pressure machine and the doctor, secretly hoping everything was back to normal. She waited patiently as Dr. Christou wrote the results down in her notes and then finally peered up at her, with a reassuring smile.

"Well, that's more like it." Said the doctor, giving Donna a wink. "It's much lower than last time, but I still want you to take things easy from now on Mrs. Carmichael." He finished, turning off the machine and removing the tight cuff from around Donna's upper arm.

Smiling at the good news, Donna turned to Rosie, who was smiling too. There was just one thing she wanted to clear up with the doctor before she left his office. Nervously biting on her lower lip, Donna cleared her throat and shuffled uneasily in her chair. She didn't know why she was so nervous talking to Dr. Christou about her sex life, because it was no secret she must have been having sex with her husband at some point, in order for her to be in this predicament.

"Ermm, there's just one thing Dr. Christou." Said Donna, as she and Rosie stood to leave his office. "Can I…Ermm, is it safe for me and my husband to make love?" She asked, causing her friend to start giggling at her question.

Peering up over his glasses, Dr. Christou smiled at Donna. "I don't see why not…But nothing too, how shall I put it?" He said hesitating, before finding the right word. "Adventurous."

Blushing, Donna gave her friend a nudge for bursting out laughing even louder this time. "Thank you." She said quietly, as she opened the door to the office and dragged Rosie out into the corridor with her.

It was official. The doctor had given her the go ahead to resume her love life with her husband and not a moment too soon for Donna either. As she and Rosie made their way out of the small private hospital and out into the quite street, all Donna could think about, was Sam's return from New York later that night. Rosie was still finding it all so amusing and couldn't stop her giggles.

"Is it safe for me and my husband to make love?" Rosie mimicked, as Donna hooked her arm through hers and rolled her eyes. "Since when did you have to ask someone's permission to sleep with your own husband?" She asked, as they walked slowly towards the town.

Shaking her head, Donna laughed at her friend's question. "I don't need permission to do it." She said, as they paused to look through the window of a small ladies boutique. "It's just that Sam refused to make love to me until my blood pressure returned to normal…And now it's back down, I'm gonna get me some." She finished, giggling as Rosie then nodded approvingly.

******

The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping and having a meal at Valentina's, with Donna relaxing fully for the first time in ages. She sat back and listened to Rosie's blow-by-blow account of her trip to the romantic city of Paris, as she paused only now and then to sip on her white wine. For Rosie's birthday, the Carmichael's had enrolled her on an intensive 'cordon bleu' cooking course, with a view to helping their friend finish her long awaited second cookbook. By the sounds of it, the Dynamo had gathered all the additional material she needed, much to relief of the publishers back in England.

"So it turned out, I was the only woman in the class." Said Rosie, pushing the last of her fruit salad onto her spoon and guiding it to her mouth. "But what an experience…I can't thank you and Sam enough Donna. Thank you." She continued, after finishing her mouthful of food.

Smiling at her overexcited friend, Donna took a sip of water. "You are so welcome honey. I'm just glad it helped you." She responded, placing her empty glass back down on the table.

"Oh it did." Rosie said with a huge smile, pouring out the last of the white wine into her glass. "So has Tan been behaving while I've been gone?" She asked, peering across at Donna, as she took a sip of the refreshing drink.

Throwing her head back and laughing, Donna looked back at her backup girl. "Well that all depends on your definition of behaving." She answered, causing Rosie to laugh too.

Finishing her wine off, Rosie nodded. "Well true." She said giggling, as she put her empty glass back down on the table in front of her. "So what has Cleopatra been up to?"

As the two women paid the bill and left the restaurant, Donna proceeded to tell Rosie all about their friends latest conquest. Rosie wasn't in the least bit surprised that Tanya had eventually hooked up with Nikos. He was good looking, funny and more than just financially secure, with his thriving businesses around Greece. Really, it had only been a matter of time before the man eater had got her manicured claws into the poor guy and had her wicked way with him. Rosie laughed practically all the way home, as Donna told her about Tanya turning up in the same clothes after three whole days missing with her new beau. Just like Donna, Rosie wasn't worried in the slightest. It was simply Tanya being Tanya and no one would ever change her ways, not now, not ever.

Climbing the last few steps up to the courtyard of Villa Donna, the two chatting women were greeted by a smiling Pepper. "Hi Boss." He said, stepping forward to take Donna's shopping bags from her. "Sam called a while ago. He's trying to get on the next flight home."

"Thanks honey." Donna replied, passing her helpful worker the last of her purchases. "I know you have the night off, but would you do me a favour and pick Sam up from the dock when he calls later?"

"Yeah no worries Boss." Pepper answered, turning to walk away and heading in the direction of Donna's room with her things.

Donna raised an eyebrow, as she and Rosie then followed the young man upstairs. Pepper and Eddie had been on their best behaviour while Sam had been out of the country on business and Donna had put it down to the fact that her husband must have promised the guys a nice little bonus upon his return. She knew Sam was only doing his best to look after her, but sometimes it all became a little overbearing for Donna. She was a free spirit at heart and hated been told what to do, especially by a man…_Oh the joys of being knocked up, _Donna thought to herself, before she dismissed her young worker and walked into the bathroom to run a much wanted bath.

"So have you two thought anymore about names for your little rugrat?" Rosie asked from the bedroom, as she carefully unpacked the new baby items her friend had bought on their trip to the mainland.

"Nope." Replied Donna, shutting off the tap and climbing into the tub. "Sam's convinced we're having a boy, but I think it's a girl." She continued, sinking down into the welcoming hot water and placing her hands over her naked bump. "We can't seem to agree on any names."

Walking into the bathroom to join her friend, Rosie leant back against the wash basin and smiled. "I don't know why you just didn't find out the sex of the baby." She said, folding her arms in front of her. "It would've been so much easier."

Sighing, Donna began to sponge her arms. "I didn't find out with Sophie and I don't want to find with this little one either. It'll be a nice surprise and besides, I don't care what we have, as long as it's healthy." She said, looking up as Rosie rolled her eyes at her.

"That old chestnut." Giggled Rosie, walking over and perching on the side of the bathtub, behind her best friend. "I never knew you were so cliché Sheridan." She finished, taking the sponge from Donna's hand as the blonde leant forward in the bubbles.

She didn't intend to be cliché at all. The truth of the matter was, Donna _didn't _care what sex the baby was, so long as it _was_ born healthy. For the past few months, she'd been having some terrible dreams about the birth of her child and these often resulted in her waking suddenly in a cold sweat. Not wanting to sound neurotic, Donna hadn't told anyone about her nightmares and she decided it was best to just push them to the back of her mind, praying they didn't actually mean anything…_But what if they did? _She'd sometimes ask herself, when awake in the middle of the night… _The dreams were always of her in the late stages of labour, trying her best to deliver the baby and pushing with all her might. Eventually giving birth, with her husband by her side, the small lifeless infant is rushed off by waiting medical staff. That is the last time the Carmichael's see their baby._

"You alright Don?" Asked Rosie, after scrubbing her best friend's back for her and noticing Donna miles away in thought about something.

Quickly snapping out of it, Donna turned her head to face the concerned Dynamo. "Yeah, I'm fine sweetie. Just a bit tired." She answered, taking the sponge off her and sinking back into the tub to soak.

Rosie accepted her friend's explanation and decided to leave Donna to take the rest of her bath in peace. The Dynamo wanted to go find Tanya anyway and catch up with the gossip about her time spent with the handsome Nikos. Promising to send some dinner up for Donna, so she could rest, Rosie gave her a wink and left the room. Donna finished her bath, softly singing to herself and got into bed with the poetry book her husband had bought her for their first wedding anniversary. Just liked Sam had hoped, Donna absolutely loved his gift and would often go to bed early to read her favourite poems to her bump. The unborn child would react to its mother's voice and wriggle about into the early hours of the morning, making it harder for Donna to get comfortable.

******

After taking a flight back to Greece, that seemed to take longer than ever, Sam finally arrived back at the villa. Pepper had collected him from the dock and filled him in on the various goings on around the hotel. As the young guy went on and on, Sam's mind was wandering elsewhere. He'd missed his wife so much over the past few days and he couldn't wait to hold her in his arms again. Glancing down at his watch, Sam realised it was after two in the morning and that Donna would more than likely be fast asleep. Walking over to the deserted courtyard bar, he dumped his holdall down on the stone floor and went to pour himself a nightcap. He sat down at one of the tables and peered up towards his bedroom… _How his life had changed over the past year. Finally with the only woman he'd ever loved and expecting a baby with her. It was like a dream come true. Yes he had his two sons and he loved them with all his heart, but they weren't Donna's. This time round, it was going to be very different and hopefully all the family would be together when the baby made it's appearance into the big, wide world… It's all so very exciting_, Sam thought to himself, sipping on the last of his scotch and standing to make his way upstairs.

Opening the bedroom door as quietly as he could, Sam smiled as his gaze fell upon his dozing wife. Donna was half sat up in bed, her reading glasses still on and the poetry book resting on her chest. She looked so peaceful, her chest raising and falling slowly, Sam even thought he'd seen her smiling. Placing his belongings down, Sam began to undress silently, never once taking his eyes off his beautiful wife. Slipping into bed next to Donna, he instantly felt the warmth radiating from her body and realised just how much he'd missed that over the past two nights away from her.

"What I don't even get a kiss now?" Donna said quietly, turning to face her husband, whilst taking off her reading glasses. "Well that's just charming."

Sam laughed and leant in close to gently stroke his wife's cheek. "I thought you were asleep darling." He answered, before placing a slow, delicate kiss on her perfect lips.

Throwing her book to the side, Donna pulled Sam even closer against her and responded fully to his kiss. She had missed him, his alluring smell, his tender touch. He was back and she wasn't going to let him go again, if she could help it. Sam's body ached for Donna's and he let out a soft moan as his fingers fumbled over her green satin nightdress. It had been a long time, too long in fact and all he wanted was to feel himself inside her.

"What happened with your doctors appointment?" Asked Sam, breaking from their kiss and gazing into Donna's sparkling green eyes.

Donna knew exactly what her husband was asking her. He was asking whether or not her blood pressure had lowered and it was safe for them to make love. "It went very well babe." She answered with a cheeky giggle. "It's down…We're safe." She finished, letting her fingers trail down Sam's manly chest and under the sheets.

Raising an eyebrow, Sam smirked. "Oh really?" He responded, grabbing hold of his wife's hand before it slid into his underwear. "But maybe we should wait a while longer, just to be on the safe side."

Kneeling up, Donna peered down at Sam and slowly slid her nightgown up her body. "I don't think so Samuel…Get 'em off." She ordered, as Sam watched her wide eyed, pulling the slinky green item completely off and discarding it at the side of the bed.

Doing as he was told, Sam reached under the bedding and wriggled out of his boxer shorts. He absolutely loved it when Donna became so authoritative in the bedroom. It was such a turn on for them both and made them realise how compatible they were together.

"Good boy." Laughed Donna, laying down once more next to her handsome husband. "Now come here." She said, beckoning him with her finger.

Moving up close to his wife, Sam trailed his hand down her back, sending shivers up and down her spine. They stared into one another's eyes, both knowing exactly what the other one needed. Sam was the first to move closer for a kiss and he ran the tip of his tongue teasingly across Donna's lips. She moaned with pleasure, as she slowly opened her mouth and let him in. Their kiss was tender yet urgent all at the same time and Sam could feel himself hardening by the second. Finding a comfortable position for Donna, was soon going to be difficult for them, so rolling her onto her back, Sam hovered closely over her. He felt her parting her legs for him and she smiled, reassuring him it was okay. Smiling lovingly back at her, Sam gently guided his erect length into Donna's warmth. She took a sharp intake of breath, as Sam gasped too and they felt their bodies relax into a gentle pace. He held his body up over Donna's, in order not to put any weight on their unborn child and Donna couldn't help running her hands up Sam's muscular arms.

"My god you're so beautiful." Sam whispered, still staring into his gorgeous wife's eyes and continuing a slow, steady pace with his hips.

The subtle glow from the bedside lamp, was reflecting off Donna's stunning, prominent cheekbones and her golden waves were fanned out across her pillow. Being pregnant obviously agreed with her. To Sam, his wife had never looked so amazing and as he deepened his thrusts within her, the feeling intensified for both of them.

With her breathing becoming quick and shallow, Donna closed her eyes momentarily. "I missed you…I missed this." She whispered in a ragged breath, as she tried to change position.

Smiling at his wife's attempt, Sam slowly moved onto his back, taking Donna with him. Now straddling her husband, Donna moaned loudly, as his manhood plunged even deeper into her aroused lower body. Even with her bump in the way, Donna was enjoying every moment of their lovemaking and watching the total adoration in Sam's eyes, made her feel sexier than ever. She continued her steady, controlled hip movements, knowing what they were doing to her groaning husband.

"Jesus Donna." Moaned Sam, grabbing hold of his wife's thighs, to try and slow her down a little.

She was pushing him closer and closer to the edge, running the risk of pushing him that bit too far, before she could reach her own climax. They continued their gentle rocking movements for a while longer, until Sam looked urgently into his wife's eyes, signalling he couldn't hold off much longer. Donna was close herself, shifting position slightly, so she could lean back and rest her hands on Sam's thighs, behind her. That was all it took, that one simple move. She was there. As Sam now took a firm hold on her hips, Donna threw her head back and emitted a low groan, as she climaxed. The most sensational feeling shot threw her entire body, a drowning wave of pure pleasure and a strong enough feeling, to throw Sam into the abyss of his orgasm too. They shuddered against each other, Sam groaning his wife's name as he ejaculated deep within her womanhood and Donna digging her fingernails into his flesh as she finally ground to a breathless stop.

Staying in her crouched position, Donna wanted to keep Sam inside her for a while longer. "I think my blood pressure might have just shot up again." She giggled, before leaning down as best she could, to place a slow, delicate kiss on her giggling husband's lips.

"Well then I suggest we stay in bed all day tomorrow darling." Laughed Sam, as Donna finally released him and moved to lay at his side.

Their breathing was still irregular, as Donna turned over so Sam could snuggle up to her warm body. He wrapped his arm over her side, bringing his hand to a rest on her neat bump. As a couple, they had never been closer and spooned together, listening to one another's heartbeats, they quickly drifted off to sleep in each others arms.

********

Waking early the next morning, Sam raised his head to look at the time and realised they'd only had a few hours sleep. With his body still adjusting to the time difference, he gently kissed the back of his wife's head and slid out of bed to shower. His business deal had gone well, he was back in the arms of his wife and Sam was happier than ever. There was still some work to do, to send back to his New York office, so getting dressed as quietly as he could, Sam left the bedroom, taking his laptop with him.

"Good morning Rosie." Said Sam with a smile, as he approached a table by the bar.

Looking up from her mountains of papers, Rosie peered over her glasses at her friend's husband. "Well good morning Mr. Carmichael. Good trip?" She asked, pulling her feet down from the opposite chair, so Sam could sit down.

Sitting down opposite the Dynamo, Sam nodded. "Very good. We'd been chasing that work for nearly a year and it finally paid off." He answered, glancing down at what Rosie was doing. "I take it your trip was a success too?"

"Indeed." Replied Rosie with a huge grin. "I'm looking forward to trying out these new recipes on you all."

Laughing, Sam placed his laptop down on the table in front of him. "I'm sure my wife will have fun supervising." He responded, opening up the computer and turning it on.

"Donna not up yet?" Asked Rosie, standing from the table and looking down at Sam with a smirk. "Or is that a silly question?"

Trying not to laugh at the Dynamo's questions, Sam shook his head and carried on checking through his emails in order of priority. "No, she's sleeping." He replied simply, not wanting to give anything away about his return last night.

"Hmm." Rosie responded, stifling a laugh. She knew her friend would be tired this morning. "I'm going to make some fresh coffee…Fancy a cup?" She asked, holding her coffee mug out in front of Sam.

"Oh yes please." Sam answered, looking up and giving her one of his charming smiles.

*******

Donna awoke to the sound of voices in the courtyard below her balcony and turned slowly over onto her back. She realised Sam wasn't there with her and glancing over at the bathroom, she could see it was still steamed up from his recent shower. An instant smile crept onto Donna's face, as she remembered back only a few hours previous, when they'd been making love.

"Time to get up little one." Donna whispered, tenderly stroking her growing bump and climbing out of bed.

After showering and spending a short time getting ready for the day ahead, Donna pulled on her underwear and a simple white Greek dress. She tidied the bedroom at lightening speed, making the bed and throwing open the remaining shutters, to let in the glorious morning sunshine. Even though it was December, the sun was still shining high above the Greek islands and the only difference being, it had become quite cool in the evening time. That hadn't bothered the Carmichael's one bit. They had each other to snuggle up to and keep warm. The only person to really complain about it, was Tanya…'_Frostbite is not a good look,' _the tall brunette had announced one day, resulting in both Donna and Rosie bursting out laughing at her. All had been resolved, with a few extra blankets and a couple of nights with a hot Greek between the sheets.

Grabbing Sam's holdall from the floor by the bed, Donna started to unpack it, throwing the dirty items into the laundry basket by the door. She was humming away to herself, until she came across one article in particular and the pungent smell that clung to it. Holding up one of her husband's smart black shirts, Donna held it to her nose and inhaled. The smell literally turned her stomach, it was so sickly… Cheap perfume.

"Oh my god." Whispered Donna, before clamping her hand over her mouth, to stop her throwing up.

Her other hand instinctively fell to her pregnant belly, as the room began to spin around her…_What had he done? Had Sam really been on business to New York? Or had he gone to meet up with some woman? A woman who wore horrendous perfume at that…_All sorts of questions were running through Donna's head, as she stumbled into the bathroom and vomited into the toilet. After a few minutes, she finally composed herself, still asking herself over and over, why her husband's shirt smelled of another woman. Grabbing the offending article, Donna hurried out of the room and made her way out to the courtyard, where Sam was sat drinking coffee with Rosie.

Throwing the shirt at her husband, Donna ignored her best friend as she said good morning to her. There was nothing good about the morning and Donna wasn't about to make pleasantries, she wanted answers. Sam picked up the shirt that was now draped over his laptop and looked up at his wife with a confused expression on his face.

Folding her arms in front of her Donna stared at him for a few moments, waiting for an explanation that didn't come. "What the hell is that?" She asked in a venomous tone, pointing at the shirt in Sam's hand.

"It's a shirt." Replied Sam, holding it out and realising it was an expensive one Donna had bought him on their last trip to New York together.

Rolling her eyes, Donna glanced briefly at a confused Rosie and then back at her husband. "Smell it." She ordered, as Rosie slowly stood from the table and tried to excuse herself.

Not wanting to get in the middle of a Carmichael argument, Rosie thought it would be better to make herself scarce. Donna was mad, very mad in fact and Rosie hated seeing her best friend like that.

"Stay Rosie." Said Donna, signalling for her friend to sit down once more. "My husband is about to explain why his shirt wreaks of some cheap whores perfume." She continued, as Rosie did as she was told and both women stared at Sam. "Well?" She hissed at him, her arms returning to a folded position.

Sam didn't need to smell the shirt. He knew full well what his wife was referring to. Feeling his cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment, Sam threw the shirt onto the table and stood up in front of Donna. She was fuming, she was hurt and he knew he had to tell her the truth… _Where did he start? Donna was going to blow up, no matter how he told her and he knew he'd just have to take it like a man…I'm such an idiot, _he told himself, as he tried to reach out and touch his wife, only to have his hand slapped away.

"I can explain darling." Sam finally said, trying to reassure her with one of his winning smiles. "It's purely innocent." He added holding his hands up and staring into her ocean green eyes.

********

A.N. There ya go hunnies, chapter two done. Hope you liked it? Love leaving you all with a lil cliff-hanger hehe (evil laugh).. Press the button for the next chapter! Mwahs to you all, Liv x


	3. Chapter 3 A Falling Out

N.B. Thank you, thank you, thank you all for the reviews! Sorry for the cliff-hanger hehe… For my Dynamos & the Livettes…Mwahs girlies xxx

*************

Chapter 3 Falling out

*********

Sam was smiling at Donna, trying desperately to diffuse the uncomfortable situation he was now facing. Making it all the more difficult, was the fact that her best friend was now staring at him too, wanting to hear the explanation about to fall from his lips…He'd got drunk. He'd messed up, but it wasn't what his wife was thinking. Donna was obviously thinking the worst, that he'd committed the ultimate sin of adultery and it was plainly visible in her eyes as she stared intensely at him. She wasn't crying, but the tears were there, waiting for his confession of guilt the start them off on their salty dissent down her cheeks. It was only the feeling of anger that was keeping Donna upright, as it coursed through her hormonal body and took a suffocating hold on her heart…_Who was she? How could he?, _were the two important questions filtering into her mind and making her feel the sudden urge to throttle the answers out of her husband.

"Donna, I was stupid." Sam finally said, pausing as his wife's other friend walked over and instantly picked up on the tense atmosphere in the courtyard.

Shooting Tanya a warning glance, Rosie held her finger over her lips, to let her friend know, she should just shut up and sit down. Tanya was about to ask what was going on, but upon seeing Rosie's face, she did as she was silently asked and quickly sat down. Now all three women were concentrating fully on Sam and he was beginning to feel outnumbered. He felt like a small animal, being slowly rounded up by three hungry lionesses and he felt slightly intimidated by them.

Running his hand through his dark hair, Sam peered at his wife. "Can we do this upstairs?" He asked, feeling the need to tell her all in private, without the audience of her backup girls.

"No." Donna answered coldly, her arms still wrapped tightly around herself. "If it's as innocent as you say, then you'll have no problem telling me in front of my friends… Unlike you, they don't keep secrets from me Sam."

"Eww, what the hell is that _horrible_ smell?" Tanya cut in, picking up his shirt from the table, before Sam could say another word. "Oh dear Sam. I think it's time to man-up and tell us what you've been up to." She added, flinging the shirt back down and earning herself a sharp kick under the table from a scowling Rosie.

Sighing, Sam placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans and stared down at the floor like a naughty schoolboy. "When we'd secured the Cipriani contract, James insisted we went out to celebrate." He said quietly, slowly looking back up at his expressionless wife. "We'd had a few drinks in the hotel bar…Well more than a few actually and then I got dragged along to…" He trailed off, watching Donna's eyes narrow at him.

Ignoring the snorting noise, Tanya made at the sound of her ex-husband's name, Donna pursed her lips. "Go on." She urged, her tone not softening one bit.

"A strip club." Responded Sam, he too ignoring the loud sighs coming from the Dynamos and instead fixing his gaze on his wife.

Donna laughed sarcastically and shook her head at her husband. "Really, a strip club?…I bet it didn't take a lot to drag you there did it?" She asked, her anger once again engulfing her entire body and not allowing her building tears to fall. "Do you know, you men are all the same. Your brain's lead by your crotch."

Moving a few steps closer to his angry wife, Sam tried to smile at her again. "Nothing happened Donna. I promise." He said, desperately trying to make eye contact with her, as she looked away.

"Bullshit Carmichael." Hissed Donna, her head snapping back to meet his gaze. "If nothing happened, why does your shirt smell like some sleazy brothel?"

The two Dynamos were feeling extremely out of place, listening to this fight between husband and wife, although Tanya was rather enjoying the early morning entertainment. The pair sat there, as if watching a tennis match, their heads going left and right, listening to the warring couple. If anyone else were to have seen them, it might have looked quite comical. It wasn't funny for Donna though. She was getting more and more wound up, as Sam kept divulging details of his little illicit escapade in the Big Apple.

"If you really want to know, then I'll tell you." Said Sam, shaking his head. "We were having a drink and before I knew what was happening, James slipped one of the dancers a few notes and she was all over me like a rash…Giving me a lap dance." He continued, trying to gage just how mad his wife was at him. "Now before you start jumping to conclusions darling, I want you to know I tried to stop her. But short of throwing the woman across the room, there was nothing I could do to stop her getting up close to me."

Donna's eyes widened and she couldn't stop herself gritting her teeth. "You bastard." She exclaimed, her body beginning to tremble with rage. "Nothing you could do? How about not going to a place like that in the first place?"

"Ut oh." Whispered Rosie, nudging an open mouthed Tanya, knowing their friend was about to completely blow her top at her husband.

It was all becoming too much for Donna to handle and she could feel her blood pressure rising with every second she looked at her disgraced husband…Her husband. The man that was supposed to love, honour and obey her. The man she had given her all too. The man that she'd sacrificed her independence for. The man that was now confessing to letting another woman touch something that was supposed to be hers and only hers_…He's a man, he thinks with his cock. Deep down they're all the same. Not giving their wife's a second thought, as the thrill of another woman showing an interest in them, throws all rational thinking out of the window. What the wife doesn't know, won't hurt her. Just one of the guys…_All these thoughts were swirling through Donna's now aching head and she was starting to feel nauseous once more.

"Donna it wasn't like that sweetheart. Believe me." Pleaded Sam, trying his best to make his wife see reason. "It was all over in a matter of minutes and I was out of there. I went straight back to The Plaza and that's when I called you. I love you and would _never _cheat on you. Do you really think I'd risk everything for a quickie with a damn stripper?" He asked, moving even closer to Donna and reaching out to touch her arm.

His question was answered with an ear splitting slap across his face, that seemed to echo around the whole courtyard. Both the Dynamos flinched at the severity of their best friend's actions and sat in utter silence, neither of them willing to step in to calm her down. Donna stared into her husband's now watering eyes for a few agonising seconds, hoping she'd made her point clear to him. Nodding slowly, Sam never broke eye contact with her. He knew that he'd probably deserved it. He'd let her down and Donna felt betrayed by him…_Oh shit, _Sam thought, realising this had not gone well for him in the slightest.

"I'm sat at home, pregnant with your child, while you disappear thousands of miles away on so called business." Donna said calmly, finally breaking the awkward silence and pointing her finger at him. "But do you know what Carmichael?…I don't need you around to raise this child. I did a perfectly good job with Sophie when you got bored and fucked off home. I didn't need you then and I certainly don't need you now…Go back to New York." She finished, without giving him another look and hurriedly walking off in the direction of the beach.

"Fuck." Muttered Sam, turning and watching his wife disappear out of view down the stone steps. "What a mess." He added, looking down at the Dynamos, who were both looking as concerned as he was.

Standing up, Tanya walked around the table and came to a stop next to Sam. "Well I think we can say…You fucked up _big _time Samuel." She said, shaking her head at him. "I can't believe James still goes to those places…And he thought I never knew. Idiot."

Sitting back down, Sam closed down the top of his laptop and looked up at Rosie. "Is she ever going to forgive me?" He asked, his voice full of remorse, as he managed to keep the tears at bay.

"To be perfectly honest with you Sam, I don't know honey. I've never seen Donna so pissed before…And believe me, I've seen her pissed a lot of times over the years." Answered Rosie, with a nervous laugh. "I would've thought that slap might have confirmed it for you." She continued, briefly pointing at the stinging red mark on his face.

Raising his hand to his face, Sam nodded slowly. The Dynamo was right, he too had never seen Donna that angry and she packed quite a slap to prove it…_He could've hit himself for being so easily lead by his partner because by the sounds of it, those type of places were a regular haunt for James. He should have known better, stayed firm and not gone along with it. But the truth of the matter was, he was drunk and they were celebrating, not only the business deal, but James's impending marriage to Helen on New Years Eve. It really had been just like he'd told his wife. He wasn't denying he was there to look, but he was in no way there to touch and with a flash of the cash, James had changed all that… Has it changed everything with Donna? I'm not leaving. I can't, _Sam told himself, as he felt Tanya place her hand on his shoulder.

"Honey… She's hormonal, upset and wants to kill you right now…But you must know Donna didn't mean it right?" Tanya asked, all of a sudden becoming uncharacteristically sympathetic towards a man. "She loves you and that's why she's feeling threatened, because she's pregnant and thinks you don't find her attractive anymore."

Shaking his head, Sam smiled as he thought back to his return home. "That's just ridiculous." He replied, sitting back in his chair. "If anything I find her even more attractive than ever."

Leaning forward in her seat, Rosie tried to reassure Sam and smiled. "Well then, you have to let her know that." She said, gently tapping his leg.

"Yeah, but don't be surprised if Donna follows that slap up with swift kick to your balls beforehand Sammy boy." Commented Tanya, helping herself to a cup of now much needed coffee and resulting in Rosie rolling her eyes at her comment.

Thinking for a few minutes, Sam sighed loudly. "Well whatever it takes…I need to win her back." He said quietly to no one in particular.

************

Doing well to have avoided her husband for most of the day, Donna had spent a lot of time on her own, just thinking. Thinking her predicament over and over in her head, she didn't know if she'd overreacted or not, but all she knew, was that she was angry with Sam. She didn't know what angered her more though; the fact that her supposedly faithful husband had been eyeing up skinny, topless women, or that he'd allowed himself to get taken to a place like that in the first place…_Obviously I'm not enough for him anymore. It's because I'm fat. It's because we hadn't had sex for a few weeks…_Donna's mind had gone into overdrive, trying to work out what had attracted her husband to a strip club in New York. She was in a foul mood, as she stopped walking barefooted across the warm sand and finally sat down. Taking in the breathtaking scenery of the island, Donna relaxed back and let the bright sun warm her body. If it wasn't for her little problem, all would've been near perfect and she could look forward to Christmas day. As it stood, she couldn't. Not only had she fallen out with her husband, but her Daughter was absent too.

"Ah, the elusive Sheridan." Said Tanya, walking up behind her friend and carefully sitting down in the sand next to her. "I've been looking for you for ages honey…You okay?" She asked, turning to face the blonde with a caring smile.

Shaking her head, Donna gazed out across the azure blue ocean. "Yeah, I'm just fantastic babe." She answered sarcastically, placing a protective hand on her bump. "It's been a wonderful day."

Tanya should've expected that response. She knew Donna was far from alright, but she didn't know what else to ask. With Rosie helping Sam, to try and think of a way to win his wife round, Tanya had been sent to check on Donna. Smoothing out her expensive Versace dress, the brunette bit her lip, as she thought of what to say next.

"Donna…Sam didn't mean to hurt you." Said Tanya, watching as her friend's body tensed and Donna turned to face her. "He loves you honey. He messed up that's all." She finished, reaching out and gently stroking a strand of blonde hair behind Donna's ear.

Choking back the tears, Donna leant against her best friend's shoulder and sighed deeply. "Did he send you here?" She asked in almost a whisper, her heart slowly breaking into tiny pieces.

Wrapping a comforting arm around Donna's shoulder, Tanya shook her head. "No sweetie." She replied, tightening her hold on her friend. "I wanted to know you were going to be okay and to tell you that Sam is truly sorry for what he did…If you think about it, that stupid ex-husband of mine is to blame for all this. It's a shame none of those plates I threw at the bastard, hit the target."

Donna couldn't help but let out a little giggle through her sniffles. Trust Tanya to have her laughing again. With everything that was going on, it was great that Donna had her friends their with her and without their support, she knew she'd not be able to hold it together as much as she had. The Dynamos had brought a whole knew meaning to the words, backup girls.

"Do you think he doesn't find me attractive anymore?" Asked Donna quietly, wiping her tears with her fingertips. "I know I've out on a bit of weight, but I'm pregnant for Christ's sake."

"God no." Tanya answered, rolling her eyes at her friend's suggestion. "Honey, Sam told me and the little hermit, that he finds you even more attractive carrying his baby." She continued, stroking Donna's arm. "That man is head over heels in love with you and why wouldn't he be? You're beautiful, intelligent and loyal."

Laughing once more, Donna raised her head and looked at her friend. "My god, you make me sound like a dog." She said, wiping away the last of her flowing tears. "Loyal?"

Giggling too, Tanya gave Donna a gentle squeeze. "Shut up Sheridan. You know what I mean." She answered, wiping away one of her own tears, as it escaped her. "This emotional shit doesn't come easy for me."

Both women knew it all too well. With Tanya's new 'fuck 'em and chuck 'em' attitude, she didn't allow herself to get emotionally attached anymore. To her, all men were the same and only thought of one thing…Themselves. Her relationships had been disastrous, but there was something about the Carmichael's, that left her with a glimmer of hope, that one day, she too would find complete happiness with someone. Until that day came, Tanya had now promised herself, she'd do all she could, to help get her friend's marriage back on track. Donna was still upset, but little did she know, Sam was in the process of working together with Rosie and trying to make things right again.

"So are you going to forgive Mr. Sexy Ass?" Asked Tanya, giving Donna a quick peck on the cheek before standing. "Because if you don't want him…I'm sure there's plenty of other women that would jump at the chance of jumping him." She added, dusting the remaining sand from her dress and letting out a throaty laugh. "Yours truly included of course."

Feigning a shocked expression, Donna shook her head as she peered up at Tanya. "Don't you even think about it." She said, straightening her back and laughing. "Keep your filthy paws off my man."

Laughing once more at Donna's reaction, Tanya turned and started to walk off towards the steps. "Fighting talk Sheridan. That's more like it." She called back over her shoulder.

Alone once more, Donna sat and thought about her conversation with Tanya. She had been right, loads of women would love to get with Sam, but he was spoken for. A ring on a mans finger sometimes wasn't enough to deter certain women from going after them and only added to the thrill of the chase. Deep down, Donna should have known her husband wasn't the type of man to fall into the honey trap. He loved her more than life itself, as she did him and after all, he had come back for her after ending his engagement. It was Donna that had quickly moved on, needing to fill that empty void in her heart, that Sam had taken with him…_What we have, surely needs fighting for, _Donna reassured herself, as she gentle stroked her bump and lost concentration staring at the ground in front of her.

********

"Do you think Donna will like this?" Sam asked worriedly, as he stirred a wooden spoon round in a pan of rich, creamy sauce.

Smiling at him, Rosie threw a handful of herbs into the mixture and took over with the stirring. "Sam, you want to get things sorted with Donna don't you?" She asked, as her glasses got steamed up with heat coming from the hob.

"Yes, of course I do." Answered Sam frowning, as he rested back against the worktop and watched Rosie work her magic.

"Well then, you leave the food part to me and you get practising what you're going to say to her later." Rosie said with a smile, as she glanced up at him and added a few more vital ingredients to the bubbling pan.

Sam nodded and smiled back at the Dynamo. In reality, he had so much he wanted to say to his wife, but he wasn't sure she wanted to hear it in her frame of mind. Leaving Rosie in the kitchen, Sam walked across the courtyard and made his way to the reception. He sat down at Donna's desk and pulled out a piece of writing paper from the top drawer. Deciding to write Donna a heartfelt letter, Sam started writing exactly what he wanted her to know. It was sincere and from the heart, as the words came pouring out onto the paper…_If this doesn't work, then nothing will, _Sam thought to himself, as he finally finished and signed his name at the bottom of the page, along with a simple kiss. Finding an envelope in one of the drawers, Sam carefully folded the letter and stuffed it inside before sealing it. He still had some work to drop off at the couriers on the mainland, so leaving the letter with the Dynamos to pass onto his wife, Sam left the island for a few hours.

Feeling a little bit better about things, Donna left the beach and walked up the old stone steps, into the courtyard. She instantly came across her two best friends, as they sat at the bar enjoying a late afternoon drink together. They were laughing and chatting amongst themselves and didn't notice Donna until she walked up behind them.

"Something smells good." Said Donna, making both Dynamos jump with fright and giggling as they both nearly choked on their wine. "I can't believe it, I can't even smell burning."

Placing her large wine glass down on the bar, Rosie laughed sarcastically at her remark. "Yeah funny Donna." She said, reaching for something laying by her glass. "This is for you love." She finished, handing the blonde the white envelope.

Looking down at it, Donna took the envelope out of her friend's hand. She recognised the distinctive handwriting straight away and swallowed softly. It was that of her husband's, but what she didn't know, was why he was writing to her…_Oh my god, he's gone. It's a goodbye letter. He's actually listened to me and gone back to New York, _she thought to herself, as her thumb trailed over her name on the front. Donna could feel a lump forming in her throat and hot tears welling up in her eyes. Her husband had been the one in the wrong and now she was the one feeling like crap because of it.

"Well aren't you going to open it?" Tanya asked, bringing Donna out of her private thoughts. "Let's see what Sammy Boy has to say for himself." She finished, taking a long sip of Pinot Grigio.

Shaking her head, Donna held the envelope tight against her chest. "I think I'd rather do this on my own." She said quietly, forcing a smile at her best friends and walking away towards her bedroom.

Her legs felt like lead, with every step towards the room and finally reaching her destination, Donna closed the door behind her. She sat down on the edge of the bed and slowly ripped open the envelope, taking the folded letter out. She stared at it for a few moments, before summoning the courage to unfold it and read the contents. With her eyes carefully taking in her husband's words, Donna could feel her heart easing a little, with each one of his sentences…

*~*~*~*~*

_To My Darling Donna,_

_I hope you found it in your heart, to read this, as I thought it'd be the best way to express myself and avoid another slap around the face._

_I know I've messed up in a big way and you have every right to be angry with me sweetheart. Please, please believe me when I say I'm truly sorry for causing you pain. When I went out to celebrate the contract, I never had any intention of visiting such a place as I did. I allowed myself to be lead astray, making me to be the biggest fool to walk this earth. I'm an idiot and I'm sure you'll agree._

_With all my heart, I hope you didn't mean it, when you said you didn't need me and that you wanted me to return to New York. You should know that I'd __never__ do that. You're my wife and you are carrying my child, I could never walk away from you both. Every day I wake up and just watch you sleeping, praying to god that we'll never part. Donna Carmichael, you are the air that I breathe, you are my life and a life I couldn't lead without you. My heart skips a beat every time I'm near you and this is the very same feeling I had twenty-two years ago when we first met. Please don't throw us away darling._

_I will be waiting on the beach at eight o'clock. If you want to try and work this out, please join me for dinner. _

_With all my heart, I love you and will never stop. I will fight for us, until my dying day._

_Sam x_

*~*~*~*~*

With tears flowing and blurring her vision, Donna held the letter close to her heart. Sam's words had been simple, but left her feeling like a wreck reading them to the end. Yes, he'd been stupid, but it didn't stop her loving him any less. He'd made a mistake…_But who doesn't make them every once in a while? _Donna tried reasoning with herself, as she stood and made her way into the bathroom. She had an hour before she would meet her husband on the beach and Donna wanted to make herself look extra special for him, if only to show Sam what he's be missing if he ever did leave her. She promised herself, she wouldn't cave in so easily, she'd make her husband sweat a little and let him experience what it feels like to be unsure of someone's love for you.

It didn't take Donna long to shower and dry her hair. She chose to wear her hair loose around her shoulders, as she knew Sam loved it that way and as for something to wear, she had just the thing, if it'd still fit over her growing pregnant belly. Trawling through her closet, Donna soon came across what she was looking for and pulled it off its hanger.

"Please fit, please fit." Donna whispered to herself, slipping the dress on over her head and puling it down over her body. "Yes." She finished, realising she could still zip it up at the side.

Standing in front of the full-length mirror, Donna couldn't help but smile. Wearing the green and blue patterned dress, she been wearing on the day they got married, she looked absolutely stunning. She still couldn't believe it actually fit her, as it was no secret she'd put on weight with her pregnancy, but obviously not as much as she thought. Spending a bit of extra time on her usually subtle makeup, Donna made a point of highlighting her prominent cheekbones and sparkling green eyes. She wanted to look perfect, she wanted Sam to want her.

Taking a step back from the mirror, Donna picked up her red shawl from the chair and took one last look at her appearance. "Time to get my man." She said under her breath, wrapping the shawl around her shoulders and leaving the room to head for the beach.

***********

A.N. Hope it was okay for you hunnies?… Naughty Sammy Boy lol… If you want the rest, you know what you have to do…PRESS IT! Hehe..

Loads of Love, Liv x


	4. Chapter 4 Make Or Break?

N.B. BIG thanks for all your reviews hunnies! Mwahs…Dedicated as always, to my Dynamos & the Livettes xxx

**Warning…'M' alert, 'M' alert! **

*************

Chapter 4 Make Or Break?

*********

Slowly walking across the deserted courtyard, Donna glanced up into the evening sky. It was already growing dark, as the winter sun sank lower and disappeared on the horizon. It was still quite warm for that time of year, but there was a cool breeze blowing around the outbuildings and it made her shiver slightly. With her heart filled with anticipation of what the night held for her and her husband, Donna wrapped her red shawl tighter around her shoulders and came to a stop, at the top of the old stone steps to the beach. Just wanting to take a few moments to gather her thoughts and get things straight in her head, Donna looked back across the dimly lit courtyard, after she was sure she'd heard the faint sound of giggling and whispering. She narrowed her eyes, trying to work out if she could see anyone through the darkness, but soon gave up thinking it was her mind playing tricks and started to walk down the first stage of the steps in front of her. Donna gasped, as she turned the corner and was met by the sight of hundreds of candles lighting the rest of the way. They lined each side of the stairs and guided a path in the sand, leading up to a table by the beach bar. Finally reaching the perfectly laid table, Donna picked up a single pink rose and inhaled its sweet scent, looking around for her husband.

"I'm glad you came." Sam said softly, stepping out of the shadows and trying his best not to startle his pregnant wife. "You look beautiful Donna." He added, coming to a stop a few feet away from her and giving her one of his trademark smiles.

Donna stayed silent and just smiled softly, allowing her husband to pull a chair out for her to sit at the table. She didn't want to seem too eager to Sam, she wanted to be in total control of the situation, but it took all her strength not to lean forward and kiss his inviting lips right there and then. Handing his wife her napkin, Sam uncovered the plate of food in front of her and took his own seat opposite. Looking down at the plate, Donna realised someone had gone to a lot of effort to help her husband plan this meal…Rosie.

"This looks nice." Said Donna quietly, picking up her fork. "Did you make it?" She asked, trying a piece of chicken and glancing up at Sam.

Nodding, Sam tired the food himself and smiled at his beautiful wife. "Yes, with a little bit of help." He answered, now pouring them both a glass of sparkling water.

They spent the next ten minutes enjoying the delicious meal, both staying silent and stealing glances from one another. The atmosphere was still a little tense between the Carmichael's and Sam could tell his wife wasn't her usual lively self. He was pleased she'd decided to join him for dinner, even though he could tell she was still annoyed with him. It was a step in the right direction, to getting everything back on track and Sam knew, he'd stop at nothing to earn his wife's trust once again…_They were both so madly in love with one another, that when it came to the thought of one of them cheating, it drove them both insane. Now Donna was pregnant, she was showing signs of feeling even more insecure and Sam had made them even worse. It was crazy, he'd never cheat on her, but Donna obviously thought otherwise, imagining god knows what else._

Taking a sip of water, Sam placed his napkin down on the table and gazed at Donna. "Can we talk about this darling?" He asked, as his wife wiped the corners of her mouth and gazed up at him.

"Well that's why you invited me down here isn't it?" Donna responded rather coldly, before picking up her drink and taking a sip. "To talk about how you messed up and made me feel like shit in the process." She continued, placing her water back on the table and not breaking eye contact with Sam whilst doing so.

Thinking about it for a few seconds, Sam finally nodded. "Yeah, I suppose so." He replied, watching Donna sighing deeply. "I never wanted to hurt you sweetheart. That would never be my intention…Can you forgive me?"

Playing with the napkin on her lap, Donna peered down at it. "I don't know Sam." She said barely audible to her husband. "It just seems to be one thing after another lately. Not just you, but me too." She continued, slowly raising her head to face him. "It feels like the trust is slowly dissolving between us and I hate feeling like that, I really do." She finished, feeling the tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Oh sweetheart." Said Sam in a whisper, standing from his seat and walking round to kneel at the side of his wife. "Don't you ever think that." He said, hooking his finger under her chin and turning her face to look at him. "We have to trust each other…I promise you with all my heart, I'd never do anything to wreck what we have. You're my world."

Blinking back her tears, Donna swallowed softly. "You already have." She answered, turning her head away from her husband, to stare up into the twinkling night sky.

Donna had managed for quite some time, to keep herself composed and not show any emotion, but now it was all becoming too much for her. When Sam had started talking about trust, it had really hit it home for her_… He'd been looking at other women in a sexual way. Something that actually turned her stomach when she thought about it for long enough. True, a lot of men did it, whether their partners knew about it or not, but it was something she thought Sam would never do. She was carrying his baby and now she was seriously wondering if they had any sort of future together. As far as Donna was concerned, strip clubs were only one step away from getting involved with hookers. She wasn't stupid, she knew what these women would do for the extra cash, especially if they knew the guy was wealthy. She knew, because before she formed the Dynamos with her friends, she had almost been lured into the seedy world of stripping, in order to keep a roof over her head. They were desperate times, but thankfully Donna had been able to steer herself off that road to self-destruction._

"What are you saying Donna?" Asked Sam nervously, bringing his wife out of her distant memories. "Are you saying, you don't want to be with me anymore?" He finished, feeling his heart start to sink in his chest, as Donna turned back to stare into his eyes.

Sam felt his world start to crumble around him and the strange look in his wife's eyes was worrying him… _He'd never seen her like this before. Yes, he'd seen her pissed at him, but it was usually sorted soon after and the look of love in her eyes never disappeared, no matter how mad she was. This time was different. Donna was more upset than he first thought and now he was beginning to doubt whether she would ever forgive him. The thought of losing her, due to him not thinking about the outcome of his own stupid actions, was killing him inside. He couldn't let her go and in his mind, it wasn't even an option. Sam had made a vow on their wedding day and he was going to stick to it, no matter what it took._

As a tear trickled down her cheek, Donna shook her head slowly. "I don't know what I want right now." She answered, flinching slightly, as her husband gently wiped away her tear with his thumb. "I trusted you and you abused it, thinking I'd never find out about New York…Maybe it's my fault. Maybe I'm not enough for you anymore." She finished, moving away from Sam's touch and standing from her seat.

"Donna, that's just not true." Responded Sam, straightening up to stand in front of his wife. "You are the _only _woman I need or want."

Turning away from her husband, Donna wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes to listen to the sound of the ocean crashing on the rocks. "Well if that was true Sam, why did you feel the need to go watch some cheap women taking their clothes off for you?" She asked, as her hand slid down to rest on her baby bump, after she felt a gentle movement.

Sam walked over to stand next to Donna and placed his hands in his pockets. "I was drunk, I wasn't thinking." He answered, with a sigh, as Donna rolled her eyes at his response. "I'm sorry darling."

Having heard enough, Donna was cold and tired. She didn't want to talk about it anymore. There was nothing either of them could say or do to erase what had happened and Donna realised she was going have to sort out in her head, what she was going to do…_Could she trust Sam again? Would he do it again, making her out to be a fool? Was he just hanging around to see his baby and then he was going to leave her anyway? …Stop it, _Donna thought to herself, as the questions floated around her head.

"The meal was lovely. Thank you." Said Donna, turning to face her husband. "Good night." She finished, turning in the sand and slowly walking off towards the candlelit steps.

"That's it, goodnight?" Sam asked in a raised tone, as he hurried after his wife. "I've said I'm sorry Donna. I don't know what else you want me to say or do." He continued, grabbing Donna's arm and bringing her to a stop in the sand.

Stepping round, to stand in front of his wife, Sam couldn't help the tears escaping his eyes as he stared at her. He couldn't quite believe what was happening and it certainly wasn't the way he had thought the evening was going to end up. Donna stared back at him, seeing such remorse and sorrow in his eyes. It broke her heart to think it was her that was making him feel like this, but it was exactly the way he had made her feel all day. Now they were both feeling completely miserable and at a total loss as to where their relationship was heading. Donna knew she had to clear one thing up, before she could walk away from him.

"Do you believe this can work?" Asked Donna, breaking the silence, as Sam let go of the tight grip on her arm. "Do you honestly think we can live like this…Without trust?" She continued, staring deep into Sam's watery eyes, desperately searching for answers.

"I will make you trust me again Donna." Replied Sam, stepping closer and tenderly stroking his wife's stunning cheekbone. "I can't live without you. You should know that darling." He finished, gazing into her piercing green eyes. "I love you."

There was no more doubt in Donna's mind, she could see it in her husband's eyes. He was telling the truth. He loved her, as much as she loved him and she had made him suffer enough, leaving him hanging.

"I love you too." Whispered Donna, placing her hand over Sam's on her cheek and closing her eyes.

Moving slowly, Sam inched his face towards his wife's and placed his lips on hers. His kiss was soft and tender, not wanting to rush things, but to show Donna just how much he needed her. Donna's body tingled at the feeling of Sam's tongue slowly moving across the entrance of her mouth, begging for access.

Pulling away from her husband's touch, Donna reached down to take his hand in hers. "Let's go upstairs." She whispered, entwining her fingers through his and leading him up to the courtyard.

********

Running his pregnant wife a relaxing bath, to soothe her cold body, Sam left her in peace and went to the kitchen to make her some herbal tea. He'd meant it when he said he'd earn her trust and resigned himself to the fact that he would do whatever it took to do so. Although the evening hadn't gone exactly as planned, at least Donna was now talking to him and had let him into their bedroom. They had argued before, resulting in him being thrown out of the marital bed and having to sleep in the guest quarters. He'd hated every minute of it. Hating the fact that his wife didn't want him anywhere near her, when all he wanted to do was hold her tight and fall asleep with the warmth of her body next to his.

"So, how did it go?" Rosie asked Sam, as she and Tanya walked into the kitchen, after checking the coast was clear. "Is she talking to you again?"

Pouring the boiling water into a mug and over the teabag, Sam turned and shrugged his shoulders. "Well she's speaking to me, but I think I'm far from forgiven." He answered, pulling open a drawer next to the Dynamos, in search of a teaspoon.

Sitting down at the kitchen table, Tanya topped up her glass of wine, from the bottle she was carrying. "Well that's a start Carmichael." She said, before letting out a loud hic-up. "I'm surprised in Donna's hormonal state, you didn't end up wearing that meal." She added in a drunken slur, after taking a gulp of wine to try and clear her hic-ups.

"Me too." Sam replied with a laugh, as he stirred his wife's hot drink and placed the spoon into the sink behind him. "Very surprised."

Pouring herself a glass of wine too, Rosie smiled at Sam and sat down next to Tanya. "Just give her a bit of time honey. I'm sure things will be back to normal soon enough and besides it's Christmas in a few days. Don loves Christmas." She said, after taking a small sip of her wine.

Nodding, Sam knew his wife's friend was right. Donna had been looking forward to Christmas and it had taken him all he had, to stop her hanging the decorations at the beginning of November. He laughed to himself, thinking about that day he'd found Donna searching for the ladder and her rubbish excuse about one of the tiles on the roof being loose, when she was standing right next to the box of snowflake shaped ornaments. His wife was a little bit crazy, but Sam loved her all the more for it.

"Look Carmichael." Said Tanya, standing up and staggering a little. "You need to go up there and give Donna a mind-blowing orgasm. That woman's too tense for her own good." She added, throwing her arm around Sam's shoulder and giving him a cheeky wink. "We promise to cover our ears."

Rosie laughed and rolled her eyes at the state of her best friend. Tanya must have consumed at least four bottles of expensive white wine since dinner a few hours ago and now her wicked side was beginning to show once more. Anyone who didn't know the tall brunette, might have been a little shocked at her upfront attitude, but all her friends were more than used to it by now and found it rather amusing.

"I'll bare that in mind Tanya." Sam replied with a laugh, as he picked up Donna's tea. "Good night girls and thanks for your help. I really appreciate it." He finished, giving the Dynamos a wink, as he left them to it in the kitchen and made his way back up to the bedroom.

*******

Walking into the bathroom to join his wife, as she combed her hair in front of the mirror, Sam handed her the mug of herbal tea and smiled. Donna smiled back and placed it down on the side of the basin, before carrying on with what she was doing. She was wrapped in just a towel, after just climbing out of the bath and Sam stripped off to take a shower, still studying his wife's stunning features in the reflection of the mirror, as he slid off his boxer shorts and stepped out of them.

"They must really like you, you know?" Said Donna, placing her comb down next to the sink and picking up her drink, watching Sam through the mirror behind her.

"Who?" Asked Sam, stepping closer towards Donna, so his body was nearly touching hers.

Rolling her eyes, Donna sighed softly. "The Dynamos." She answered, putting her mug back down to the side and then returning her gaze to her husband's reflection. "Tanya wouldn't have come to give me a little talk today otherwise and Rosie would've never agreed to help you make dinner." She continued, with the hairs standing up on the back of her neck, at the feeling of Sam's breath tickling her.

He was standing close to her on purpose, breathing in her fresh lavender scent from the bath oils and knowing he was having some sort of affect on her. Sam could tell, because Donna's breathing had quickened slightly and he could see she was losing concentration on what she was talking about. Reaching up, he moved his wife's towel dried hair away from one side of her neck and leant in even closer. Donna flinched, at the feeling of his fingertips lightly moving over her shoulders, as he did so, causing goose-bumps to prickle up on her flesh.

"They know how much I love you Donna." Whispered Sam, raising an eyebrow, as his lips tenderly met his wife's neck and he felt her relax. "They know I'm completely besotted with you." He continued, beginning to plant slow, butterfly kisses around her neck and ear. "They know we can't live without each other."

Closing her eyes, Donna could feel herself melting with every one of her handsome husband's sensuous kisses. They made her feel warm inside, they made her weak at the knees and they made her feel extremely turned on. She knew exactly what Sam was doing, but she was enjoying the sensation too much, to tell him to stop. There was nothing she could do, but to surrender to him fully and as she felt his hands slip round to her front, where her towel was tucked in, she knew for sure it was too late.

"You are so beautiful Donna Carmichael." Whispered Sam, gently yanking at the damp towel from around his wife and continuing his alluring kisses to her neck. "The thought of me never seeing your body again, or kissing you, would kill me." He finished, allowing the towel to fall to the floor by their feet.

Not able to speak, Donna slowly opened her eyes and instantly locked gazes with her husband, in the mirror. Her breathing was becoming even shallower, as Sam's kisses intensified and he introduced slow flicks of his tongue around her burning skin. His arms slid around her, as one hand began to caress her bare breasts and the other moved down between her legs. With his touch still slow and teasing, Sam could feel himself becoming more and more aroused by the second. Donna parted her legs a little further, allowing her husband's fingers to carry on working on the spot that drove her wild with pure pleasure. He applied pressure, feeling Donna moisten even more with every strategic movement around her sensitive parts.

Leaning back against her husband's naked frame, Donna steadied herself and wrapped an arm around his neck. "Hmmmmm." She moaned softly, turning her head to find Sam's lips with her own.

Feeling Sam's solid erection pressing against her back, Donna was aching for him. Every single inch of him. Their kiss was deep and passionate, as Sam plunged his tongue into Donna's mouth, desperate to find hers. He wasn't disappointed, as his wife met his kiss with equal force and allowed her tongue to dance merrily with his. With the foreplay pushing them to the brink of desire for each other, it wasn't much longer before they knew they'd have to take it one step further. Donna moaned into her husband's mouth, as he slid two of his exploring fingers inside her warmth and moved them delicately within her. Wanting to stimulate his wife for as long as she needed, Sam waited until he heard Donna's breathing become heavy and ragged, then he carefully removed his touch from inside her. Donna groaned desperately, causing Sam to smirk confidently, as he slowly repositioned his stance behind her and slid his manhood into her highly aroused lower body.

"Oh myyyyyyyyyy..." Donna gasped, breaking from their kiss, as Sam groaned too and found her neck once more.

Wanting to be as tender as he possibly could, Sam kept his hip movements slow and his thrusts within his wife, shallow. Donna rested her head back against her husband's broad shoulder and met his movements with her own. Both of Sam's hands were now placed over his wife's pert breasts, teasing her all the more, as Donna's hands wandered behind her and trailed up and down her husband's masculine body. It was moments like this, that made the Carmichael's realise how good they were together and what they'd be missing if they ever parted. Rosie was right, they were made for one another, everyone including them, knew it too.

With his kisses to his wife's sweet tasting neck, starting to become more forceful and urgent, Sam moved his attention to Donna's ear. "I love you so much woman." He whispered, as the tip of his tongue explored the new territory.

"I love you too baby." Donna whispered in response, pushing further down onto her husband's throbbing length, causing him to go deeper into her.

Sam moaned loudly, as his wife upped the pace of their lovemaking. It was Donna's way of telling Sam to stop talking and get on with what he was doing. What he was doing, was taking them both closer and closer towards an almighty climax, as he answered his wife's silent plea and thrust harder into her womanhood. Leaning forward slightly, Donna placed her hands on the sink unit in front of her and allowed Sam to move even deeper within her. It was now as hot as an oven in the small bathroom and the mirror was steaming up in front of the pair. All that could be heard, was the sound of heavy breathing and lust filled moans coming from both of them, turning them on all the more, knowing it felt so right and so good. Sliding his hand down to Donna's hip, Sam leant closer to her and tightened his grip, letting her know, he wouldn't be able to hold off coming much longer. With the new intensified feeling between their hot bodies, Donna was already reaching her climax fast and Sam could tell instantly. Her back arched and her lower body began to tense and contract around his manhood. With a few more hard grinding movements against her husband, Donna was there and she called out his name as a knee trembling orgasm ripped through her entire body. Feeling his wife's body contract and release for the last time, Sam knew he could finally release himself. With two more powerful thrusts, he was there too and Donna placed her hand over his on her hip, gasping at the sensation of her loving husband ejaculating deep within her.

"Donnaaaaaaa." Moaned Sam, as he gave her everything he had and finally came to a stop resting against her heaving body.

He held her close for a few moments, watching a satisfied smile spread across her face in the steamed up mirror. Sam was soon smiling too, as he slowly withdrew from his wife and placed a tender kiss on her sweat drenched shoulder. They were both still breathing hard and giggling at their erotic encounter in the bathroom, as Donna slowly bent down to pick up her discarded towel.

"And you really believe I could give all this up so easily." Asked Sam, giving his wife's rear a slap before she straightened up. "You must be mad woman."

Picking up her mug of now lukewarm tea, Donna handed Sam her damp towel. "Cheeky." She answered, raising an eyebrow at him and walking out into the bedroom.

Grabbing a quick shower, Sam soon got washed and dried before joining his wife in bed. Donna was still naked under the sheets and smiled lovingly at her husband, as he slipped under the covers with her. As she passed him the bottle of cocoa-butter, Sam squeezed out a huge dollop of if and began his nightly ritual of rubbing it into his wife's pregnant belly. Wanting to make sure she didn't get stretch marks on her growing bump, Donna had been told by a helpful local, to rub the cream in twice a day, right up to the birth of her baby. Fortunately, Donna hadn't suffered with them whilst pregnant with Sophie, but her skin wasn't like it used to be and anything that might prevent the medals of childbearing, scarring her, was definitely worth a try. There was something so special, about the way Sam tenderly massaged her expanding bump, leaning down to plant delicate kisses on it too.

Donna giggled and ran her hand through her husband's dark hair. "Stop that Sam." She pleaded, as he blew a raspberry on her bellybutton. "You'll wake baby up and then I'll be up all night having my bladder tap-danced on."

"I can't help it. It's just too tempting darling." Laughed Sam, now placing a slow kiss where his lips had just been.

Grabbing Sam's ear and pulling him up to meet her lips, Donna kissed him passionately for a few moments. "If I'm up, then you're up." She reminded him after breaking for air and raising her eyebrow at him, as Sam flashed her a naughty grin. "And not like that Mr. Carmichael."

Leaning over Donna, Sam turned out the bedside light and kissed her lips on the way back down. "Okay spoil my fun completely woman." He said sighing dramatically, causing his wife to burst out laughing at him.

Sinking down onto his pillow, Sam pulled Donna close against him and pulled the blankets up around their naked bodies. The temperature had dropped considerably outside and both of them were starting to feel the cold more, snuggling up as close as possible to stay warm. They both laid in one another's arms thinking about their past, their future and what Christmas had in store for them. The boys would be arriving from New York the following night and Donna was excited about spending some much needed bonding time with her sons, hopefully filling the gap until Sophie's return to the island of Kalokairi.

"Sleep well sweetheart." Sam whispered, gently stroking his wife's hair, as she soon fell asleep held tight in his strong embrace. "I love you."

********

A.N. Lil bit of 'M' to wake you all up! Lol… Well I couldn't have Donna mad for too long could I? hehehe… Churning these chaps out pretty quick for you all, but I might slow it down for a while if you don't do the right thing and press ittttttt! Lol… Love to you all, Liv x


	5. Chapter 5 Christmas Eve

N.B. Hugs for the great reviews my friends. Dedicated as always, to the Dynamos and the Livettes. Also a shout out to Shanice, for reading my first story, all over again (you crazy chick lol)… x

***************

Chapter 5 Christmas Eve

**********

Although Sam had insisted she didn't, Donna had spent most of the day completing the chores and getting things ready for the boy's arrival that evening. She hadn't seen Ben and Zack since leaving New York and she and Sam had yet to tell them both about the baby. Discussing it, the Carmichael's had agreed to keep it a secret, until their sons came over for the holidays and they could celebrate together as a family. The one person missing from the celebration, was of course Sophie. As far as they knew, she was still in London with baby Emma and hadn't yet called to say when she would be coming back to Kalokairi. It was a sore point with Donna and everyone had tried to keep her mind of it, distracting her by whatever means possible. It was going to be hard the following day, as it was Christmas day and also her grandchild's very first Christmas. Sam had wanted to make the villa as festive as possible for his wife and with the help of the Dynamos, he'd arranged a huge tree for the courtyard to be delivered that afternoon.

Climbing up the ladders, Sam went to position the last of the lights on the fifteen foot tree. "How does that look?" He asked, looking down as the Dynamos, who stood bellow giggling.

"Oh it looks _fabulous _from here honey." Smirked Tanya, checking out Sam's rear and giving her friend a nudge, who was doing the same. "The lights look great too." She added, as she and Rosie burst out laughing at their blatant flirting with their friend's husband.

"Do you think Donna will like it?" Sam responded, he too laughing at his wife's friend and carefully making his way back down the ladder. "It's not too much?" He finished, standing back next to them, admire his handy work.

Nodding approvingly, Rosie gave Sam a pat on the back. "It looks fantastic Sam." She said, before clinking glasses with Tanya and taking a swig of champagne.

Gazing at the tree in front of them, the Dynamos both smiled in awe. It was perfect and they knew their best friend would absolutely love it. Thousands of tiny white fairy lights covered it from top to bottom and they had managed to hang all of Donna's decorations, she'd collected over the years. It looked magical and both women were extremely impressed. Sam had gone to so much effort and his hard work had definitely paid off, as Donna walked round the corner and gasped loudly, at the amazing sight in front of her. It quickly reminded her of Christmas as a child and her excitement grew just as it did all those years ago, when she'd sit gazing at the family tree.

"Oh my god." Whispered Donna, coming to a sudden stop and clasping her hands to her chest. "You got me a Christmas tree." She continued, with an excited giggle.

"You like it?" Asked Sam, walking over to his wife and wrapping his arms around her, as he smiled at her excitement.

Cupping her husband's face in her hands, Donna placed a slow, tender kiss on his lips. "I love it baby." She replied, after breaking for air and gazing into his dark blue eyes. "Thank you so much." She added, turning round in his arms to admire the tree.

Resting his hands on his wife bump, Sam smiled. "Merry Christmas sweetheart." He whispered into her ear, before placing a loving kiss on the side of her head.

Donna stood staring at the magnificent tree and all her treasured decorations… _Since leaving home to go travelling all those years ago, she had collected an assortment of decorations from all over the world and every year, knowing how sentimental she was, the Dynamos would send her something to add to it. It really was a display of her past and a wonderful way to hold onto the memories of the places she'd visited_… Frowning, she suddenly saw something hanging near the bottom of the tree. One decoration in particular, had caught her eye and breaking from Sam's embrace, Donna walked over to the tree and ran her finger over the glass bauble. Seeing it made her heart instantly ache and she had to try her hardest not to let her tears flow.

"Donna, are you okay?" Asked Rosie, seeing the tears forming in her best friend's eyes. "What is it love?" She continued, placing her arm around Donna's shoulder and glancing at Sam with a worried expression.

Taking a deep breath, Donna gently removed the pink and silver decoration from its resting place and peered down at it. "This is Sophie's." She answered quietly, rolling it round in her fingertips. "Look…'Baby's first Christmas'…" She said, showing Rosie. "Every year, Sophie places this on the tree and it's not going on until she comes home to do it…It's tradition."

The Dynamos both looked at each other and sighed. All had been going great, but who would believe, one tiny little decoration could set their friend off again. It had been Rosie's turn to keep everyone upbeat over the past few days and with Christmas day itself, not being a favourite of Tanya's, she knew the brunette would try to distance herself from Donna's sadness. It wasn't that Tanya didn't care, its just that she had her own grief to deal with and as all her friends were aware…Tanya rarely _did _emotion.

As if on cue, the already tipsy Dynamo, went into full denial mode. "Drink anyone? A bit of eggnog? Tequila?" Tanya asked in a cheery voice, knowing things were about to get far too emotional for her liking. "No… Okay, just me then." She finished, talking to herself as she walked over to the bar for something a little stronger than champagne. "Fill it up Pepper and keep 'em coming until I'm full of festive cheer." She instructed the young worker behind the bar.

Stepping forward to console his upset wife, Sam sighed at his mistake. Before anyone had time to say anything, Donna turned and walked away in the direction of her bedroom. She was wiping her cascading tears as she finally made it up to the room and placed the delicate glass bauble down on her dressing table. Placing a hand on her bump, Donna sobbed as she gazed at a photo of her absent daughter. It should have been a happy time for all, but now Donna was hating the prospect of spending Christmas day apart from her firstborn. Opening the door quietly, Sam didn't say a word, as he walked over to his wife and took her into his arms. He could feel Donna's body trembling as he held close and allowed her to let everything out, she'd been holding back for so long.

Wrapping her arms around her husband's waist, Donna wept into his shirt. "Why isn't she here? What have I done wrong?" Asked Donna, in between breathless sobs.

"Shhhh darling." Soothed Sam, gently stroking his wife's back. "You haven't done anything wrong." He added, planting a loving kiss on her forehead, as she looked up at him. "There's time yet…Soph might be back."

"Am I such a terrible mother, that my own daughter feels like she has to run away from me?" Asked Donna, peering up into Sam's eyes as even more tears sprang to her own. "This is the first Christmas Sophie and I haven't spent together…All because of what? Because I'm happy? Because I'm having a baby? I just don't understand." She continued, breaking from her embrace with Sam and slumping down to sit on their bed.

Sitting down next to his wife, Sam turned to face her and smiled. "First of all, you need to calm down… It's not good for you to be getting worked up like this." He said, pulling Donna close against him and trailing his fingers through her blonde waves. "You are not a terrible mother. So don't even think that darling…"

Shaking her head slowly, Donna wiped away her hot tears. "Then why Sam? Because I really don't know what to do anymore." She said, turning her head to peer back at her daughter's picture on the mirror. "I've done everything for that girl… _Everything_… Up until last year, my whole life revolved around Sophie. From the minute she was born, she has wanted for nothing and now she just throws it back in my face. It's so not like her."

"I know darling and Sophie knows too. She just doesn't know what's happening in her life at the moment." Answered Sam, laying back on the bed and gently pulling Donna down with him. "Just give her the space she needs to figure it all out on her own. She'll be back when she realises that she's wasting her time running after that idiot." He continued, turning onto his side and resting up on his elbow to peer down at his beautiful wife. "Remember it was you who told me to back off and let her get on with it? You should take your own advice sweetheart, because getting upset will only make you ill."

Swallowing softly, Donna turned her head to face Sam. "He doesn't deserve her." She said in a whisper, placing her hand over his, as he placed it on her bump.

"No he doesn't." Sam replied, leaning down to brush his lips against Donna's and hold her close once more.

Sam had managed to stay level headed for his wife's sake, when really, he had a few things to say about their daughter's behaviour. Now was not the time, nor the place to do so. Donna was already heartbroken over it all and to hear him start ranting on about Sky, would only make things worse. For now, Sam decided to bite his tongue and stay quiet, knowing the stress wasn't good for his wife or their unborn child. Until their elusive daughter decided to return to Greece, there was nothing that could be said or done, to make things right again. Only Sophie had the answers, they were waiting to hear and now, the ball was in her court.

********

Climbing the stairs to her best friend's bedroom, Rosie approached with caution and listened before quietly knocking on the door. It had been well over an hour since Sam had followed Donna up to the room and the Dynamo was concerned about her friend. She hated seeing Donna so upset, especially when it was supposed to be a happy time in the Carmichael's life and now with a few drinks in her, she was feeling all emotional herself.

"Donna, Sam…Is everything alright?" Asked Rosie through the door, before lightly knocking again.

Hearing movement coming from inside the room, Rosie stepped back as the door slowly opened. Sam smiled and placed a finger over his lips, to signal to his wife's friend to be quiet. Staying silent, Rosie glanced over Sam's shoulder and soon realised that her best friend was fast asleep on her bed. Donna had fallen asleep almost instantly in Sam's strong arms, no doubt through sheer exhaustion from the days activities. Her husband knew she was tired, as she'd definitely overdone things with the chores, even after he'd asked her to slow down.

"Is she okay?" Whispered Rosie, looking up at Sam with tears in her eyes. "Tan and I were worried about her."

Placing his arm around the Dynamos shoulder, Sam smiled at the woman's concern for his wife. "She'll be okay sweetheart. We just need to keep an eye on her that's all." He responded, giving her a squeeze. "I just hope Sophie sees sense and comes home…What did she say to you when she called?" He asked, as he and Rosie started to walk down the stairs.

Shaking her head, Rosie paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked up at Sam. "Nothing much, she was pretty vague to be honest…I asked her if she'd be home for Christmas and she kind of blew me off." She answered, walking over to the desk and rifling through some papers. "Tanya managed to find out the number she was calling from, but when we called it back, no one picked up." She finished, finding the piece of paper with a telephone number scribbled on it.

"For fuck sake, I could kill that kid for doing this to her mother." Said Sam, taking the paper from the Dynamo and looking at it. "As if she hasn't got enough to deal with."

Nodding in agreement Rosie smiled at Sam. "Yeah and isn't it all about to get even busier around here?" She asked, walking towards the doorway of the reception. "What time do your kids get in?"

Looking down at his watch, Sam soon remembered the boys needed picking up from the dock. "Shit, now." He answered, quickly reaching over the desk to grab the keys to the jeep. "Thanks for the reminder Rosie." He finished, rushing past her and down to the entrance of the hotel.

Rosie smiled to herself…_Although Kalokairi wasn't officially her home, she and Tanya had practically moved in and they were both thoroughly enjoying living with Carmichael's. She had managed to finish her second cookbook, with the help of the course Donna and Sam sent her on and with things in the hands of the publisher's, everything was looking positive for once. Life couldn't be sweeter for the Dynamo at the moment and she'd even received a letter from Bill, telling her all about his latest adventure. They had kept in touch, as best they could and Rosie was looking forward to meeting up with him sometime in the near future. There was something so romantic in the way Bill wrote to her, always referring back to their night together after the Carmichael's wedding and causing Rosie to blush, even though she was alone when reading…My lone wolf, _Rosie giggled to herself, as she made her way out of the reception and over to the bar.

"Is Donna alright?" Asked Tanya, looking round as her friend joined her and took a seat. "I saw Sam leaving." She added, passing Rosie one of Pepper's cocktails.

Nodding, Rosie smiled at her friend and took a quick sip of her drink. "She's sleeping. I think all the excitement has worn her out bless her." She answered, placing her glass back down on the bar in front of her. "How are you holding up honey? I know you don't really like this time of year."

Shrugging her shoulders, Tanya smiled at her fellow Dynamo. "It's getting easier I guess…I can't believe it's already three years tomorrow since I lost my mother…She'll be up there now, drink in hand and no doubt working out a plan on how to haunt my father." She said, picking up her cocktail glass. "Well, merry Christmas Mom." She finished, holding up her glass for a few seconds and then downing it's bright pink contents.

"Merry Christmas Elizabeth." Toasted Rosie, holding up her glass too and then downing it in one.

**********

Both Ben and Zack were greeted with open arms by the Dynamos, upon their arrival at the villa and Sam left them to have a drink with the girls, whilst he went to check on his wife. Creeping into the bedroom, he was pleased to find her already up and getting ready in the bathroom. Donna was in the process of clipping her hair up in the mirror, when Sam walked in behind her and snaked his arms around her waist. She smiled, hoping to reassure him, she was now feeling a lot better after her rest… _Hating herself for getting so emotional and bringing the mood down with her, Donna had vowed to push thoughts of her daughter to the back of her mind for now and concentrate on the rest of her family, the Dynamos included._

"Hey handsome." Said Donna, placing the last hairgrip in place. "Are the boys here?" She asked, grabbing hold of her pale lip-gloss by the basin and applying the finishing touches to her makeup.

Showering his wife's neck with tender kisses, Sam's hands slid up to her breasts. "Yes." He managed to whisper, as Donna laughed and grabbed hold of his hands.

Turning round to face her husband, Donna slid her hands down his chest. "Behave yourself Samuel. We shouldn't leave Ben and Zack for too long with the girls…They'll have them rolling drunk before the nights even started and you know how badly Zack holds his liquor. It's probably best to keep an eye on him." She said, trying not to laugh as Sam stared wide eyed down at her boosted cleavage.

Not taking in anything his wife had just said to him, Sam's mind was on other things. "Jesus Christ, where did they come from?" He asked, not able to take his eyes off her breasts and plunging neckline.

"It's what happens when you're pregnant Sam." Giggled Donna, rolling her eyes at her husband's question and guiding his face up to hers. "You can stop drooling now honey. It's not very attractive." She finished, placing a slow, teasing kiss on his lips.

"No, maybe not, but they are." Laughed Sam, his eyes returning to Donna's breasts once more, after breaking from their kiss. "I don't know if I can let you go out like that tonight sweetheart. I'm at risk of walking around with a permanent hard-on."

Donna burst out laughing at her husband's remark about her cleavage and purposely grabbed hold of the crotch of his jeans. "Hmmm, so I see Samuel." She replied seductively, leaning in close to find his lips once more, after feeling his evident arousal. "Unfortunately, you're going to have to hold that thought darling. Dinner reservations are for eight and if we lose the table, we'll never get another one."

Quickly glancing down at his watch, Sam was desperately trying to work out if he had enough time for a bit of fun with his wife, before they had to head out for their meal. Donna laughed at her husband's persistence and took his hand to lead him from the bedroom, before he had other ideas. She loved the thought of her husband finding her blooming pregnancy body, a turn on and it made her feel even more confident, as she adapted to the final few months of carrying his child.

"You look gorgeous by the way Mrs. Carmichael." Said Sam, bringing his wife to a stop at the foot of the stairs and taking her into his arms. "You ready to tell the boys?" He asked with an excited smile, before tenderly kissing her lips.

Smiling back lovingly at her husband, Donna stepped back from him and placed her hands on her hips. "I don't think we'll have to tell them anything honey. I think it's pretty obvious you've impregnated me, don't you?" She asked, now laughing as Sam looked her up and down with raised eyebrows.

Dressed in a classic long sleeved little, black dress, that ended at her knees, Donna looked and felt fantastic. Tight fitting, to show off her neat bump and accessorised with her black Louboutin heels, it was perfectly clear to all that looked at her, that she was indeed pregnant. She never really used to make such an effort when going out for dinner, but then again, she never used to have the time, or anyone to go with. This was all still relatively new to Donna and she had to admit, she did enjoy being wined and dined by her charming husband.

"Impregnated?…You make it sound so romantic." Laughed Sam, staring at his wife's cleavage once again and nodding. "Come on." He finished, taking her by the hand and leading her out into the courtyard.

As the Carmichael's walked towards the bar, their sons soon noticed and stood to greet their stepmother. Donna couldn't help but giggle, as both boy's mouths dropped open, as their gaze fell instantly to her pregnant belly. Standing back, Sam watched as his wife wrapped her arms around Ben and Zack, giving them both a kiss on the cheek. It was such a heart-warming sight for him, knowing that only a few months ago, his sons had been hit quite hard by the tragic death of their mother. They had both come to terms with Lorraine's death, in their own way and on his recent trip back to New York, Sam had discussed their future and the possibility of them moving over to Greece after college. Something they said, they'd both seriously consider.

After holding the boys in a tight embrace for a few minutes, Donna finally parted from them and smiled. "Looking good guys." She said, as Sam walked up behind her and took her hand.

"Holy shit, how did that happen?" Asked Zack, pointing down to his stepmother's stomach and laughing.

Nearly choking on her cocktail, Tanya snorted with laughter. "Now Zack, I would've thought that was quite obvious sweetie." She said, throwing her arm over the young man's broad shoulder. "Maybe after a few more drinks, I'll tell you all about the facts of life…In detail, Dynamo style." She added, raising one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows in a seductive manner.

Laughing at her best friend, Donna shook her head at her. "You'll do nothing of the sort Tanya." She said, as everyone laughed at poor Zack's embarrassment.

"Well I guess we know what you asked Santa for this year then." Said Ben, leaning forward to place a kiss on Donna's cheek. "Congratulations…When are you due?" He asked, giving his dad a cheeky wink, as he moved back.

"Valentines Day." Answered Sam, narrowing his eyes at his son. "And what was that wink for?" He asked, with a sly smile, as Ben started giggling.

Shaking his head, Ben took a swig of his beer. "I think it's amazing, that your not firing blanks at your age old man." He commented, causing the whole group to burst out laughing at him.

"Now, now children. Let's not start winding your father up so soon. There's plenty of time for that and we better get a move on." Said Donna giggling, trying to change the subject and spare her husband's blushes.

Gathering their belongings, the group of six made their way down to the old blue jeep and began their cramped, yet short journey down to the dock. Tanya was in her element, laying like Cleopatra, across the laps of the two young men and still managing to sip on her bottomless cocktail. Everyone was in high spirits and Donna was finally starting to enjoy the holidays once more. Upon arriving at Valentina's, they were greeted with a party atmosphere and a smiling Nikos. The handsome Greek, had grabbed hold of Tanya and kissed her passionately under the mistletoe, before doing the same to an unsuspecting Rosie. As the hours ticked by, Christmas day fast approached and all but Donna and Sam, were a little worse for wear. The meal had been perfect, the drinks flowing and everyone, even a pregnant Donna, had participated in a spot of traditional Greek dancing. Donna and Rosie had burst out laughing at the end of the night, when Nikos had invited Tanya to do some plate smashing. Having had a lot of practice over the past year, the swaying brunette had quickly taken him up on the offer and thoroughly enjoyed herself in the process.

Sam had sat with a huge smile on his face most of the evening, just taking in the sight of his stunning wife and happy sons, as they partied away with the locals. Things couldn't have gone any better and as the restaurant slowly emptied, Nikos had wished them all a Merry Christmas before locking up for the night. The short walk back to the ferry had also been quite eventful, with Sam challenging the boys to a race, much to the delight of the cheering Dynamos, as they and Donna followed them onto the waiting boat. Feeling like a school mistress, she had had to make sure everyone stayed seated, as the ferry made its way over the choppy waters and even had to literally sit on Tanya at one point, to stop her falling overboard.

***********

Arriving back at the villa, Sam and Donna had let the others go ahead to the bar, so they could take a slow stroll back up on their own. Guiding his wife carefully up the rocky steps to the hotel, Sam held on tight to her. He was protective of her anyway, but now Donna was carrying his baby, Sam was even more so now. The thought of anything happening to them, worried Sam on a daily basis, sometimes making Donna feel like an invalid when he wouldn't leave her to her own devices.

"Did you enjoy yourself tonight sweetheart?" Asked Sam, pulling Donna to a stop as they eventually reached the even ground of the courtyard and turning to gaze into her sparking eyes.

Nodding, Donna smiled and glanced over at the direction of the bar. "I had a great time. It's so good to have the boys here with us and once this little one's here, it will be even better." She answered, taking hold of her husband's hand and placing it on her bump.

Pulling her close, Sam trailed his hands down Donna's back. "Oh yes it will darling." He responded, leaning close to kiss her eagerly on the lips. "Now, you know that thought I've been holding?" He added, as he slowly pulled away and peered into her eyes.

"How could I forget honey?" Donna laughed, running her hands down her husband's chest. "You've been staring at _them _all night." She finished, biting her lower lip, as Sam's gaze wandered down her body again.

"Let's have a drink with the party animals and then head up to bed." Suggested Sam, taking his wife's hand as they walked over to join the others.

The truth of the matter was, even though she'd had a wonderful night with her friends and family, Donna was exceptionally tired and making love to her husband the furthest thing from her mind. Her bed was calling and thinking about how busy she was going to be in the morning, made Donna want to crawl under the covers right that second. She smiled at the sound of everyone laughing and having fun and as she walked across the courtyard with her husband, until something caught her eye. Pausing for a moment, she looked over in the direction of the goat house and soon realised it wasn't her mind playing tricks on her. There was a light shining from the upstairs window and knowing for a fact, no one had been in there since Sophie had left the island, it could only mean one thing…Sophie was home.

Quietly excusing herself from the rest of the group, Donna made her way unnoticed to the goat house. Her heart was beating hard in her chest and a smile crept onto her face, as she thought about seeing her precious daughter and grandchild again, after spending weeks parted from them both. Donna prayed, Sophie had thought things through whilst away and realised that her mother having a baby with the man she loved, was not such a bad thing. It was far from it, as the thought of raising a child with Sam, had been something she'd always dreamt of during her lonely nights alone over the years. Being as quiet as she could, in case her daughter was asleep, Donna climbed the stairs to the bedroom and came to a stop at the top. The room was dimly lit and she could just about make out Sophie's outline laying in the bed with the covers over her, but there was something else. There was someone else laid on top of the bed next to her. Donna took a few steps forward and stared at the figure… Sky, was fast asleep, still fully clothed and baby Emma was asleep too, laid in between her parents. Under normal circumstances, the scene before Donna would have been picture perfect, but she was so disappointed with her daughter for bringing the root of their problems back to the island, that she could feel herself getting increasingly more angry, the longer she stood there.

"Fucking fabulous." Whispered Donna to herself, turning around and leaving the goat house as quickly as she could.

Her daughter knew full well what she and Sam thought about Sky and Donna couldn't believe Sophie's mentality, bringing him back here at Christmas of all times. It was supposed to be a joyful time for all, everyone enjoying a fully prepared Christmas dinner, sharing gifts and now all that would be difficult, knowing it would probably turn into a Christmas massacre, if her husband found out about the unwelcome visitor.

"Is Sophie home?" Asked Sam with a huge smile on his face, as he found his wife closing the goat house door behind her.

Donna forced a smile and took hold of her husband's hand. "Ermm yes…But she and Emma are sleeping. I didn't have the heart to wake them." She answered, desperate to stop him going in there and discovering Sky, before she had chance to try and rectify the situation.

Wrapping his arms around Donna and kissing her lips with passion, Sam finally pulled away and peered into her emerald green eyes. "See, I told you she wouldn't miss spending Christmas with you darling." He Said softly, gently stroking a loose strand of her golden hair to the side. "The whole family's together."

"Let's go to bed." Whispered Donna, leaning close to plant a slow, alluring kiss on her husband's mouth. "It's going to be crazy around here tomorrow and a girl's got to get her beauty sleep." She finished, leading him round the corner and up to their bedroom.

Even though she was unbelievably tired, Donna knew she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight and had to think of a way making her daughter see sense. Although her husband came across as diplomatic, when now talking about Sophie's relationship with her ex, she knew it might be a front to keep her from getting stressed. If she didn't act fast, things were at risk of getting complicated and could quite possibly, end up ruining everyone's Christmas…_Oh Sophie, what are you doing you silly girl? _Donna silently asked herself, closing the bedroom door behind them and slowly turning towards her smirking husband.

***********

A.N. Hope that wasn't on the boring side for you all…Had a little writers block for a while grrr. There could quite possibly be some drama in the next chapter lol (writers block permitting lol)…Please press and let me know what you thought. Am I heading in the right direction for you all? Is there anything you want me to add, or not do for that matter? Hehe… This is your story! Loads of love, Liv x


	6. Chapter 6 Christmas Day Part One

N.B. Mwahs for the reviews my lovlies, you're the best! For my Dynamos & the lovely Livettes, hugs x

******************

Chapter 6 Christmas Day (Part One)

************

Wrapped in a warm blanket, Donna sat on the balcony and gazed, lost in thought, up into the twinkling night sky. She knew she'd not be able to sleep with everything on her mind and after waiting for her husband to fall asleep, she crept quietly outside, as not to disturb him. It was now almost four in the morning and Donna had only just heard the Dynamos staggering off to bed, singing loudly as they went. She sat thinking how she could possibly diffuse the situation, before it all blew up and wrecked the holidays for all concerned, but mostly, how she could do it without Sam finding out…_Would it be even possible? Or fair? No more secrets, she and Sam had promised each other and this would be one hell of a secret to keep from him. Then she had to look at it from her daughter's point of view…Had Sophie brought Sky back to the island, for the sake of Emma spending her first Christmas with her daddy? Or was her daughter still clinging onto a shred of hope, that somehow Sky will fall back in love with her and decide to stay for good?…The more she thought about it, the more wound up she got and Donna soon realised, she'd have to tell Sam. She couldn't handle it on her own, but more to the point, she shouldn't have to. Sam was Sophie's parent too and therefore, he had every right to know what she was getting up to under his roof…_

"What a disaster." Donna whispered, pulling the fleecy blanket tighter around her body, as she heard movement from inside the bedroom, that brought her out of her thoughts.

Stepping out onto the balcony, in nothing but his underwear, Sam shivered and rubbed his tired eyes. "What are you doing sat out here darling. It's the middle of the night." He asked, with a yawn, bending down to kiss Donna's forehead. "And not to mention bloody freezing." He finished, looking worriedly at his wife.

"I couldn't sleep that's all." Answered Donna, smiling lovingly at her husband. "Go back to bed babe. You'll catch a cold out here." She finished, glancing down at his boxer shorts and giggling.

Grabbing the blanket from around his wife, Sam laughed at her shocked expression, as the cold air hit her. "Well stop being selfish and share the warmth darling." He said, wrapping it around himself. "If you want it back. You have to come and get it." He added, wiggling his eyebrows at her and walking back inside.

Donna shook her head at Sam's childish behaviour and stood up in just her underwear. It was freezing cold, as she made her way back into the dark bedroom and she screamed as he suddenly grabbed her, pulling her down onto the bed with him. Not amused with her husband's antics, Donna slapped his bare chest and tried her best to wriggle free of his tight hold. It was no use, Sam was much stronger than her and was attacking her neck with hot, sensual kisses. With everything on her mind, she wasn't in the mood to be playful and decided to just lay still, until Sam got the message. It didn't take too long, until her husband realised she wasn't responding like she usually did and he stopped his kisses to look up at her.

"What is it Donna?" Asked Sam, resting up on his elbow and gently stroking the blonde hair away from his wife's face. "You've been acting strange since we came to bed."

Pulling the covers up around their near naked bodies, Donna sighed. She didn't know what to do for the best… _Should she tell her husband now, or wait until the morning? If she told him about Sky now, would he go off on one and storm straight over to the goat house?…No, he wouldn't do that, not with Emma sleeping, _Donna played her options over in her mind… _Maybe if I tell him now, I can get him to calm down before breakfast?_

Shifting positions, Donna rolled over onto her side and came face to face with her husband. "Well there is something…But I'm scared about telling you Sam." She said in a whisper, reaching out to stroke his face. "Scared about how you're going to react if I tell you."

"Donna, you're scaring me now. What is it? Is it you, the baby?" Sam asked worriedly, taking his wife's hand in his and searching desperately in her eyes for answers.

That was the first thing that sprang to mind. There was something wrong with their unborn child and his wife was hiding it, in an attempt not to upset him. Sam could feel his heart start to beat fast in his chest, waiting for Donna to tell him the bad news she'd been harbouring. He held his breath for a few agonising moments, as his wife remained silent, obviously trying to find the right words to break it to him.

Shaking her head slowly, Donna gripped tight onto her husband's hand. "No, it's not the baby." She replied, seeing a relieved look sweep across his face. "It's Sophie." She continued, as Sam now frowned at her. "She's not alone."

Letting his wife's words sink in, Sam tried to figure out what she meant. "Not alone?" He asked, as his body tensed at what he thought she was going to say next.

"She was asleep, like I told you last night…But she wasn't alone." Donna replied, sighing deeply as she remembered back to what she saw in the goat house. "Sky was asleep on the bed with her and Emma." She finished, watching an expression of anger now sweep across her husband's face.

Without giving it a second thought, Sam let go of Donna's hand and quickly slid out of bed. "He's got a fucking nerve showing up here again." He said in an angered tone, as he searched for his clothes in the dark.

Sitting up as quick as she could manage, Donna swung her legs over the side of the bed and turned on the lamp on the nightstand. This was exactly what she didn't want to happen when she told him, but then again, she didn't expect him to react any other way… _Sam was highly protective of Sophie and Donna loved him for that most of the time, but not tonight. She knew it was because he'd missed out on her growing up and all the things that came with being a daddy of a little girl…Hearing his baby girl calling him 'Daddy' for the first time…Watching her leave for her first day of school…Letting her go off on her first date, after having a quiet word with the boy in question…All these things filled Sam with feelings of guilt and sadness for not being there for Sophie and Donna, when they needed him the most. It broke Donna's heart whenever they discussed it. It wasn't Sam's fault he hadn't been there for them and besides, they didn't really know for sure if he was actually Sophie's father. As everyone discovered on the day of Sophie's wedding…There were three guys around the same time._

"Sam, what are you doing?" Asked Donna, standing up and turning to watch her husband pulling on his jeans and scanning the floor for his shirt.

"What do you think I'm doing Donna?" Sam quickly retorted, finding what he was looking for and starting to put it on. "If he thinks he can just waltz in here after everything that's happened, he's got another thing coming." He finished, making his way to the bedroom door.

Moving to block her husband's way, Donna leant against the door, to stop him opening it. "I'm sorry daring, but I can't let you do it." She said, placing her hands on Sam's chest through his still open shirt. "What do you think will happen, if you go marching in there, guns blazing?…Huh?" She continued, as Sam ran his hand through his hair and stared into her eyes. "I'll tell you…Sophie will leave again and we might as well kiss our granddaughter goodbye for good, because this time she might not ever come back…And…"

"Donna…" Sam interjected, removing his wife's hands from his chest and reaching for the door handle.

"No Sam. For once please just listen to me." Donna responded in a stern tone. "I don't like the fact that Sky's here, anymore than you do…But in a few hours, everyone will be getting up looking forward to Christmas day and if things kick off between you and Sky, what's it going to be like for everyone else?…Ben and Zack still haven't got over Lorraine's death and Tanya's going to need our support today too. We can't just think about ourselves and besides, don't you want to spend time with Emma seeing as it's her first Christmas?" She finished, still staring into Sam's eyes, as she removed his hand from the door.

Sam didn't answer his wife at first, as he thought about what she'd just said. She was right, he knew full well she was right, but it didn't stop him wanting to punch Sky's lights out. Sky had managed to avoid Sam too many times before now and this just made him even more angry, that the young man couldn't deal with the consequences of his actions. It seemed everyone but Sophie, could see she was being taken for a fool, putting up with Sky's selfishness and Sam wanted to find out what his true intentions were with his daughter.

Throwing his hands up to surrender, Sam stepped back from his wife and took his shirt off once more. "Whatever you want Donna." He said with a sigh, turning his back on her and taking off his jeans.

"Hey, don't get pissed at me." Donna snapped, at her husband's attitude. "I'm just thinking of everyone else as per usual…It's not my fault Sky's here and I refuse to lose my daughter and grandchild, just because you want to kill him. Hell, I'd like to string him up by the balls too, but we need to get the facts from Sophie, before you run them all off the island." She finished, as she noticed Sam finally nodding in agreement.

Climbing into bed, Sam closed his eyes and pulled the sheets around him. "You know best." He muttered, as Donna shook her head at him sulking with her. "But if you expect me to sit at the table, playing happy families with him, you've got another thing coming darling." He added, turning his back on her.

Donna rolled her eyes at her husband's last statement and climbed into bed next to him, turning off the lamp as she did. "Look, all I'm asking for, is one day of peace. No arguments, no falling out and no knocking the shit out one person in particular." Said Donna, snuggling up behind Sam and running her hand down his side. "That's not too much to ask for is it?"

"No." Sam answered simply, taking his wife's hand and holding it against his chest.

Her husband was quietly seething and Donna knew exactly what he was feeling, because she was just as unhappy about the situation herself. She also knew what she said had made sense and that Sam had actually taken it in, as he too couldn't stand the thought of losing Sophie and baby Emma again. They had been a family, they had been happy, but now it was going to take a lot to keep it all in tact, if only for one day. Yet again, the Sky scenario had caused a rift in the Carmichael's relationship, that was only just recovering from Sam's drunken mistake in New York. Laying in complete silence, Donna couldn't sleep if she knew her husband was mad at her, for stopping him confronting Sky. Too many times before, they had gone to bed angry at one another and that was something Donna wanted to try and rectify for the future. It wasn't good for either of them to be feeling like that, especially if they'd have to support each other during the next few days… God only knew what was in store for them.

Slowly running her hand down Sam's stomach, Donna heard him swallow softly, as her touch continued down into the waistband of his underwear. "Don't be mad at me Sam." She whispered, placing a teasing, open mouthed kiss on his shoulder and taking hold of his manhood.

Flinching slightly at his wife's seductive touch, Sam slowly rolled onto his back and smiled. "Do you really think you can get me to go along with your plan, by using sex?" He asked, then gasping quietly, as his wife increased the pressure and began to caress his growing length.

"Yes." Donna replied, nodding confidently, as she let go of him and knelt up to unhook her black bra. "I know I can." She finished, then slipping her panties off and exposing the rest of her naked body to her now smirking husband.

Placing his hands behind his head, Sam relaxed and just watched as his wife leant forward to shower his toned stomach with wet, alluring kisses. Keeping her eyes on Sam's face as she moved down his body, Donna hooked her fingers around the top of his boxer shorts and yanked them down his legs, in one long continuous movement. She then proceeded to kiss her way back up her husband's lower body, never once breaking eye contact with him. Sam was getting more and more turned on, every time Donna's lips touched him and he couldn't stop himself emitting a few low moans when she hit one of his sensitive spots.

Hovering over her husband, Donna paused from what she was doing and smiled wickedly at him. "You see, when I get you worked up like this Samuel, you become putty in my hands honey." She said in a low, seductive tone, before leaning closer to kiss him and gently bite on his lip as she pulled away.

"Is that a fact sweetheart?" Asked Sam smirking, thoroughly turned on by his wife's no-nonsense approach to lovemaking.

Repositioning herself over her husband, Donna straddled his waist and placed her hands at either side of his head. "It's a fact babe." She answered, smiling confidently, as she then felt his hands slid down her sides. "But I don't remember me giving you permission to touch." She finished, grabbing his hands from her hips.

Raising up, Donna slid down onto her husband's erection, causing them both to groan at the wonderful sensation of him filling every part of her tight womanhood. As Donna set a slow rhythmic pace with her hips, Sam tried to move his hands up to her breasts, only to have them batted away by his wife. She was teasing him and loving every single second of it, knowing it would be driving him silently mad not being allowed to touch her. Sam bit his lower lip and grabbed the sheets beside him, as Donna pushed further down onto him, making slow circular movements with her hips. He was desperate to touch her body, longing to feel her silky smooth skin, as he trailed his hands along her thighs. Trying again, Sam was surprised his wife didn't try to stop him this time and he wasted no time in trying to tease her, like she had him.

"Oh, you're good sweetheart." Smiled Sam, slowly sitting up to meet her and wrap his arm around her back.

"Shut up and kiss me." Demanded Donna, wrapping her arms around Sam's neck and pulling him as close as her bump would allow. "And that's an order Carmichael." She finished, smothering his mouth with hers.

Sam was slightly taken aback with his wife's forcefulness, but responded eagerly to her passionate kiss. It was deep and meaningful, as their tongues instantly found one another and duelled for control. With his hands sliding down Donna's back, Sam brought them to a stop on her still pert rear and thrust hard into her. Donna gasped loudly into his mouth and bit down on his lip in response. They rocked against each other, letting their hands and mouths explore one another's highly aroused bodies. Matching her husband's slow hip movements, Donna moaned and upped the pace just a little bit, wrapping her legs tighter around him. Sam was slowly starting to lose control. His wife was taking the lead and all he could do, was follow, giving her whatever she wanted from him.

Noticing by Sam's facial expressions, he was close to climaxing, Donna slowed right down. "You need… me… to stop darling?" She asked, in short bursts of breath, as he gazed into her eyes and ran his hands down her back.

"No, just tell me you're nearly there." Replied Sam, then moaning loudly as his wife sped up her circular hip movements.

Grabbing his wife's hips, Sam knew that meant she too was close and kept him going, knowing he was giving her what she needed. Donna moaned and placed her hands over Sam's, grinding down harder onto him, meeting him thrust for thrust. Their breathing was hard and ragged, as their mouths found each other again, taking them both over the edge. As her back arched against her husband's body, Donna wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced her much needed climax. The muscles in her lower body, gripped and released around Sam's throbbing member, causing him to moan her name loudly, as they simultaneously reached their orgasms. Donna let out a long, low groan, as her body finally shuddered around Sam and she rested her head on his shoulder, trying to catch her breath.

"Merry Christmas baby." Whispered Donna, tenderly kissing her husband's cheek, as he held her close against his perspiring body.

Rolling Donna onto her side, Sam carefully withdrew from her and delicately stroked her cheek. "Merry Christmas to you too sweetheart." He whispered in response, before kissing her lips lovingly.

Holding each other close, Donna had soon fallen into a contented sleep and it wasn't long before Sam had done the same. There was only a few hours before the rest of the family would be up for Christmas morning breakfast and Donna would finally get to have a heart to heart with her daughter. Things no doubt would be a little strained and seeing Sky again would probably prove awkward for the Carmichael's. Luckily, Donna seemed to have calmed her husband down and things would hopefully remain civil, if only for the sake of their young grandchild's first Christmas.

********

Waking only a few hours later, the Carmichael's dragged themselves out of bed and got ready for the busy day ahead. Donna was fairly confident, that she'd managed to talk her husband out of flying off the handle with Sky and knew she'd be watching him like a hawk for the rest of the day, just in case. Placing a tender kiss on his wife's lips, Sam left her to get dressed, whilst he went to make them some fresh coffee. Pulling on some black linen trousers and a tight fitting white t-shirt, Donna smiled to herself, as she examined her bump in the full-length mirror. She was getting bigger as each week flew by and they were getting more excited, as her due date fast approached. As the baby moved, Donna placed her hands over her stomach and giggled softly, at the strange sensation. With less than seven weeks to go, she realised she and her husband should really start thinking about names for their baby again. Hopefully settling on something suitable before the little one arrived.

"Come in." Donna called, as she walked into the bathroom and heard someone knocking on the bedroom door. "Won't be a second." She added, picking up the discarded towels from the shower she'd taken earlier with Sam.

Walking back out into the bedroom, Donna came to a sudden stop, as she came face to face with her daughter. Sophie stood a few feet away from her and both women stayed silent for a few moments, neither of them knowing what to say. Donna slowly looked her pretty daughter up and down, before a sweet smile came to her face. Smiling back, Sophie walked towards her mother and threw herself into her arms. Holding her firstborn child in her arms, filled Donna's heart with a feeling of absolute love. She'd missed her baby so much and hugging her tightly, had never felt so good.

Burying her face in the crease of her mother's neck, Sophie blinked back her tears. "I'm so sorry Mom. I've been such a bitch." She whispered, making Donna's eyes fill with hot, stinging tears.

"My god, I've missed you baby girl." Donna replied, holding her daughter even tighter. "I'm so glad you came home."

Slowly raising her head, to look at her mom, Sophie smiled lovingly at her. "Merry Christmas." She said, before loosening her grip on her and stepping back. "You're looking great." She continued, glancing down at Donna's bump.

Taking hold of Sophie's hand, Donna sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her daughter down next to her. "Sophie, what's going on with us sweetheart?" Asked Donna, entwining her fingers through hers and gazing into her big, blue eyes. "We used to be so close and now…I feel like I don't know you anymore."

"It's my fault." Sophie answered in a quiet whisper. "My life just feels so messed up and I've pushed you away." She finished with a sigh, as she stared down at the floor.

"But why baby girl? I mean we tell each other things right?" Asked Donna, she too staring down at the floor. "You used to tell me everything, but since having Emma, you've been so secretive…And that's not like you."

Sophie didn't answer right away and Donna was aware of her daughter beginning to tremble. She was crying silently and it broke Donna's heart to see her like that, knowing her child was upset by something… _It was true, ever since Sophie had taken Emma over to London for the first time, Donna felt like they were slowly drifting apart. It was upsetting, not knowing why and if it was because of something she'd done wrong as a mother. They had always been close, seeing as it was only them for so many years and Donna even found it hard letting go, when Sophie started her relationship with Sky. She had done it though, throwing herself further into running the hotel, to fill the time she'd normally be spending with her daughter. _

Peering back up at her mom, Sophie wiped her tears. "I don't know what it is…But you have Sam now and the new baby on the way…" She said in a whisper, as her tears started once more. "I guess, I thought me and Em were in the way."

Donna closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh my god Soph… You think because I'm married and having another baby, makes you any less important to me?" She asked, wrapping her arm around her daughter and placing a loving kiss on her forehead. "You are my baby girl. You're my world. Don't you _ever _feel like you're being pushed out, because it will never happen…Do you hear me?"

Sophie nodded slowly and sobbed once more in her mother's arms. "I'm sorry Mom, I really am." She whispered, closing her eyes, as Donna gently rubbed her back. "There's something else I have to tell you."

Rolling her eyes, Donna knew exactly what her daughter was going to say. She was going to tell her about Sky being on the island with her and she knew she'd have to stay calm. Sam had now promised to be on his best behaviour and she was going to have to be too, for everyone's sake. It was Christmas day, so she could hardly kick the young guy out, although she wanted to. Waiting for Sophie's confession, Donna realised Sam was taking ages making the coffee and prayed he hadn't gone back on his word and gone to seek out Sky.

Standing up, Sophie turned to face her mother. "Mom, I don't want you to kick off, but…" She trailed off, biting her lip nervously. "But…"

"Sky's here." Donna interjected, before sighing and standing up. "I know, I found you all asleep in the goat house last night." She continued, placing her hand on her aching back. "I can't say I'm happy Sophie and you're father is already thinking of ways to dispose of his body."

As she finished, Sam appeared in the doorway, carrying a mug of coffee for his wife. He looked worriedly first at Donna and then at his daughter, as she turned to face him. Sophie smiled sheepishly, as Donna stepped forward and picked something up off her dressing table. Walking over, Sam passed the coffee to his wife and leant forward to place a kiss on her forehead. He was far from pleased with his daughter, but for Donna's sake, he knew not to start an argument with her today of all days.

"Welcome home Sophie." Said Sam, then wrapping his arm around Donna's shoulder. "Where's Emma?" He asked, scanning the room for the small child.

"She's ermm…She's with Sky." Sophie answered, her body tensing as she saw her father sigh at the sound of her ex-fiancé's name. "I'll go and bring her down for breakfast soon."

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Donna smiled at her daughter and held out the object in her hand. "There's something you have to do on the way." She said, as Sophie took the glass decoration out of her mother's hand and peered down at it.

Knowing exactly what her mom meant, Sophie's eyes filled with even more tears. "Thank you." She whispered, holding the bauble close to her chest. "I'll put it on the tree now." She finished, smiling at her parents as she left the room and closed the door behind her.

Listening for the sound of Sophie's footsteps to fade, Donna turned to face her husband. "Well that was awkward." She said, before taking a sip of the coffee he'd brought her. "Couldn't you have given her a hug at least?" She asked peering into his dark blue eyes.

"I'm sorry Donna, but I'm finding all this a little difficult. The thought of having to sit at the dinner table with _him, _is driving me fucking insane." Said Sam, placing his hands in his pockets and staring back at his wife.

Shaking her head, Donna took a deep breath. "Sam, don't do this now." She said, turning round to gather the washing and throw it into the laundry basket. "It's just for today and then I promise, you can throw him off the island okay?"

Sam sighed and ran his hand through his dark hair. "Promise?" He asked, looking back at his beautiful wife and smiling at her.

"Promise." She replied, walking over and running her hands own his masculine chest. "Only because I haven't got the energy to do it myself." She added, giggling as her husband, took hold of her and pulled her down onto the bed with him.

Laying in one another's arms, the Carmichael's thought about the rest of the day ahead of them…Tanya was no doubt going to spend every minute drinking herself silly, drowning out the pain of losing her mother…Rosie would be running round like a headless chicken, stressing over making Christmas dinner for all…The boys would be nursing hangovers from hell, considering what they drank last night…and then there was the element of trying to stay civil, when sitting down at the table with Sky…_Happy Families, _Donna thought to herself, turning her head to kiss her husband's welcoming lips…

*********

A.N. Sorry if that was a little drawn out… But it was only part 1 of Christmas day. Next bit to follow shortly hunnies… Press for moreeeeeee! Hehe, Love ya's, Liv x


	7. Chapter 7 Christmas Day Part Two

N.B. Mwahs and hugs for you're fabulous reviews peeps…They really do mean sooooo much to me (they keep me going, when I'm tired and don't feel like writing lol)… Thanks to Mel, for being my mentor and reading through my chapters before I publish, Mwah hunni… For V, for all the wonderful M'ness she tries to kill me with on a regular basis lol, smooch babe & for Charliee and Shanice, for reading back through my stories from the beginning! Whoa, nuts! Hehe, hugs hunnies! …Enjoy all!

***************

Chapter 7 Christmas Day (Part Two)

***********

Things around the villa had been busy, yet full of holiday joy. The Carmichael's had spent an hour looking after baby Emma, whilst Sophie had volunteered to help out Rosie in the kitchen. The Dynamo couldn't wait to start preparing the Christmas dinner, with the new professional knives, her friends had bought her. Everyone, including the housekeeper, had got fed up with Rosie's moaning about not having the right cooking utensils and Donna had found the perfect set for her friend, on her last trip to New York. Popping her head round the door to the hectic kitchen, Donna smiled at the sight of her daughter laughing and joking with the Dynamos, as Tanya sat at the table, in charge of the huge magnum of Moet and Chandon she'd been bought. It was just like old times, when Sophie was a youngster and loved hanging out with her wild Aunts. To anyone outside the family, things would've looked perfect and for Donna it did too, for a short while anyway.

"You ready for your gift now, Mrs. Carmichael?" Asked Sam, as he walked around the corner from the courtyard and came face to face with his smiling wife.

Trailing her hands down Sam's chest, Donna bit her lip. "Well that all depends on what it is and how long it's going to take." She replied, giving her husband a cheeky wink. "I'm going to have to help the girls in the kitchen soon."

Sam held Donna close and kissed her lips tenderly. "Well we can save _that _part of your present until later darling." He responded, reaching into his pocket for a small box. "This one, we can do now." He added, passing it to his giggling wife.

Slowly opening the red velvet box, Donna stared down at it's contents and frowned. She was confused at what she found on the cushioned resting place. It wasn't the usual gift, you'd associate with such a box and Donna couldn't possibly work out why her husband had given it to her. It wasn't earrings, a ring, or any other piece of jewellery…It was a key.

"Ermm, thanks babe…But…" Said Donna, trailing off, as she looked up at her husband's grinning face and then back down at her gift.

"Come with me." Said Sam quietly, as he took Donna by the hand and lead her towards the reception area. "All will become clear in a few moments sweetheart." He finished, as he brought her to a stop outside Sophie's old bedroom.

Donna looked at the door, as everything started to fall into place…_Not long after their daughter had moved into the goat house, Sam had started using her old room as something as an extra storeroom. She too had used it, until a few weeks ago, she tried to get in and realised that someone had placed a lock on the door. Donna had even asked her husband about it and Sam had given her an excuse, that he'd thought it'd be a good idea, seeing as guests often wandered in and out of the reception, day and night. She'd bought the idea and hadn't given it a second thought, until now…_

"What are you up to Samuel?" Asked Donna, narrowing her green eyes at her husband and gripping even tighter onto his hand.

Taking the box out of his wife's hand, Sam took the key off its resting place and handed it to her. "Open it." He answered quietly, letting go of her other hand and stepping back.

Doing as her husband asked, Donna put the key in the lock and turned it, as the door slowly opened with a creak. Pushing it open even wider, Donna placed her hands over her mouth and gasped loudly, as she took in the unbelievable sight in front of her. She was utterly speechless, as she gazed around the once cluttered room and was now faced with the most spectacular baby nursery, she'd ever seen… Her husband had totally redecorated, in white and pastel colours, filled the room with gorgeous white furniture and placed two framed photographs on the shelf over the changing unit…

Walking forward, Donna stared at each of the picture frames. One said 'Daddy' and held a picture of Sam and the other said 'Mommy', containing one of her. She knew exactly where she'd seen them, it was in a very expensive baby store in New York and Donna had fallen in love with them, along with one other thing_… After she had told Sam about the baby, Donna had gone on to tell him about the store she'd visited, whilst having to keep it to herself. She'd gushed about the cute frames and an exquisite, handmade Italian crib she'd seen, until she'd seen its eye watering, nine thousand dollar price tag_… Little did she know, her husband had taken note and immediately called the store to purchase the items, arranging to have them shipped over Greece as quick as they could. Luckily for him, they had arrived a few days ago and he was able to get the Dynamos to distract Donna, whilst he and Pepper got them safely to the room.

Donna was still silent, as she turned to face her husband and noticed something behind him. "Oh my god Sam…You didn't?" She asked, as he moved out of the way, to reveal the beautiful Italian crib.

"Oh yes I did." Said Sam, smiling as he watched tears spring to his pregnant wife's eyes. "It's the one you liked, right?" He then asked, stepping behind Donna and wrapping his arms around her waist.

Nodding slowly, Donna wiped her tears, as she stared at the crib in front of her. "Yes, but I can't believe you've spent all that money darling." She replied in almost a whisper.

Leaning down and placing a shower of delicate kisses to his wife's neck, Sam gently rubbed her bump. "Only the best for my girl and our baby." He whispered, feeling Donna relax back into his arms.

Completely overwhelmed, Donna wiped her flowing tears once more. She couldn't believe her husband had done all this for her and without her even knowing what he was up to. She hadn't had anything like this when Sophie was a baby. She had been all alone, working hard and saving every spare penny she had, to make sure they had nothing more than a roof over their heads. It had been a very difficult time in her life and for the first six months, Donna had actually had to share a bed with her newborn daughter. Now, it didn't matter about what things cost, her husband just wanted to look after her and his child and also Sophie and her child. To Donna, he couldn't be any more perfect if he tried.

"Thank you so much Sam. I love it. I love it all." Said Donna, slowly turning in his arms and reaching up to cup his face in her hands. "You're amazing." She finished, leaning up to kiss him passionately.

Holding each other for a short while, the Carmichael's finally broke apart and Donna took her husband's hand. She too had a gift for him, but it was upstairs and was no way as extravagant as his for her. Even so, it was something she'd been meaning to buy him for well over a year and now she had, she knew it'd be just right. Sam followed his wife up to their bedroom, obviously with other things on his mind, as he playfully slapped her rear as they reached the door.

"I thought, we were going to wait until later for the second part of your present baby." Laughed Sam, as Donna pushed him down onto the bed and giggled at him.

Turning her back on her husband, Donna opened the top drawer of her dressing table and searched for something. "Now, there has been something bugging me ever since we got married." She said, finally finding what she was looking for and placing it in her hand. "That day in the chapel, when you placed a ring on my finger." She continued, turning round to face him, with a smile. "I know you don't wear jewellery, but would you do me the honour of wearing this?" She asked, stepping closer towards him and handing Sam a well known, duck egg blue box.

Taking the Tiffany's box out of Donna's hand, Sam smiled at her and untied the plain white ribbon on top. "Of course I will sweetheart." He said, opening the lid, to reveal a shiny gold wedding band.

Pulling it out, Donna rolled it around in her fingertips, so her husband could see the inscription inside. "Forever yours." She whispered, taking his hand and sliding it onto his finger.

It was a perfect fit and as Donna held on tightly to her husband's hand, Sam pulled her closer between his legs. "Thank you darling." He whispered, closing his eyes and placing a slow kiss on her expanding baby bump. "Now everyone will know I'm married to the most amazing woman in the world." He added, looking up into his wife's sparkling green eyes, as she smiled back at him.

**********

Pacing the bedroom floor in the goat house, Sky sighed and peered down at his already packed bag. He had agreed to accompany Sophie and baby Emma back to Greece, with a plan in mind, that he'd spend Christmas day with his daughter. The more he thought about it, the more nervous he got and he was seriously toying with the idea, of just slipping away unnoticed. Other than Sophie, he figured no one else would miss him not being there and it would mean he wouldn't have to come face to face with Sam…_He knew full well that Sam wanted nothing more than to get him on his own for a chat and he also knew that the chat would more than likely turn into a shouting match between them. Yes, he'd been a jerk and treated Sophie badly, but he wasn't proud of himself for doing so. He'd been scared when she'd told him she was carrying his child and the only thing he could do was run. It wasn't until Sophie had actually turned up in London, with the baby girl in her arms, that he realised what he'd done. Sky still loved Sophie, but things had changed in their relationship. It wasn't just them anymore, there was a little girl that was dependent on them and that frightened the life out of him even more. He wasn't ready to settle down, he still wanted to be young and carefree, exploring the world. As his parents had reminded him, you couldn't do that with a baby in tow, he'd have to step up to his responsibilities and get a job. That's what he did and he was hating every minute of working in the city, secretly planning his escape from his interfering parents. It wasn't what he'd wanted. He'd never said he'd wanted kids…_

"What are you doing?" Asked Sophie, walking up behind her ex-fiancé and noticing his packed bag.

Turning round to face the petite blonde, Sky sighed and placed his hands in his pockets. "I can't do this Sophie." He answered, now staring down at the floor. "I can't do this whole family thing. It's not me."

Shaking her head at him, Sophie refused to cry even though she could feel the tears forming in her eyes. "Sky, don't you dare do this to Emma today." She said, moving closer towards him. "Whether you like it or not, she's your child and it's her first Christmas. You owe it to her to be here, don't be so selfish."

Something inside Sophie had finally snapped. She couldn't believe her ex was behaving like this and that he was only thinking of himself yet again. Her mother had been right about Sky. He _was _selfish and if he really had feelings left for her, he'd not have packed his bags, all ready to make a sneaky getaway… _Spending time with him in London, had made Sophie realise how much things between them had changed. Sky hadn't been so happy to see her and Emma this time round and it resulted in extra grief from his parents, to give it a try for the sake of their grandchild. Sophie could see right through them, knowing they weren't interested in their son's happiness, just using him as leverage, so they could spend time with Emma. It was all a big game to them, not one of them, including Sky, were bothered about her or her baby's feelings. It was time to stand up for herself and Emma, she didn't need him, she had her family._

"Right then." Said Sky, finally finding the nerve to look up from the floor. "I'll stay tonight and then I'm leaving." He finished, looking sheepishly into Sophie's huge, blue eyes.

Sophie snorted sarcastically and turned to leave. "Well that's really big of you Sky." She responded, walking down the first few stairs and pausing. "Dinner's in an hour. Let's hope you're man enough to make it." She ended, as she carried on walking down the stairs to the living room.

*******

After being thrown out of the kitchen by Rosie, Donna had made her way down to beach, to find the rest of her family. Sam was sat watching his sons, as they played in the surf with baby Emma and couldn't help smiling at how careful they were with the ten month old tot. It was wonderful to have all the family back together and he couldn't have been any prouder, as what he felt right now.

"Hey beautiful." Said Sam with a smile, as he turned his head and noticed his wife walking towards him. "You all done?" He asked, as Donna slowly sank down onto the sand beside where he was sitting.

"Can you believe I got kicked out of my own kitchen?" Answered Donna, snuggling up to her husband, as he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder and kissed the side of her head. "Rosie's like a woman possessed and Tanya…Well Tanya's just drunk." She finished with a giggle, as she turned her head to gaze at her family in the distance.

It wasn't long before Zack and Ben had noticed their parents sitting on the beach and they headed over towards them. Zack had scooped up a squealing baby Emma in his strong arms and was blowing raspberry's on her little tummy, causing her to giggle uncontrollably. Donna's heart swelled with pride, as she watched how loving her stepsons were with her precious granddaughter. Neither of them seemed the baby type, but both guys were definitely as besotted with their little niece, as she was with them. Finally reaching their parents, Zack bent down and picked up a towel to wrap around Emma, as Ben sat down next to Donna.

"Merry Christmas Mom." Smiled Zack, as he handed the excited baby to his stepmother and grabbed a towel for himself.

"Yeah Merry Christmas Mom." Ben also said, leaning closer to plant a loving kiss on Donna's cheek. "Zack and I would like to thank you for our present… I can't believe it, Spring Break in Barbados with the guys." He added, as his younger brother laughed and threw a towel over for him.

Rolling her eyes at the boy's, Donna sat her granddaughter on her lap and quickly glanced at her smiling husband. "Well it wasn't my idea. You have you're dad to thank for that." She said smiling, as Emma placed her thumb in her mouth and snuggled against Donna's chest. "I can't say it would've been my first choice of gift for you two…I _know _what goes on at Spring Break." She continued, smirking at her stepsons, as they both burst out laughing at her.

"Oh really?" Laughed Zack, raising his eyebrows at his stepmother, as he pulled on his t-shirt. "That sounds interesting."

Feeling her husband staring at her, Donna threw her head back and let out a throaty laugh. "Really interesting…But you will _never _know what I got up to." She answered, before giving Emma a kiss on top of her head and passing her to Sam. "Come on, let's go get ready for dinner." She finished, taking Ben's hand, as he helped her up from the soft sand.

As the boys ran on ahead, Sam took hold of his wife's hand and held baby Emma in his free arm. Donna smiled, as she peered at her gorgeous granddaughter and realised, she had fallen asleep with her little head rested on Sam's shoulder. She looked so peaceful and contented in her grandfather's arms, that all Donna could do, was imagine that's how Sam was going to be with their own baby, once it was born. The day had been great so far and all that was left to tackle, was dinner around the table with Sky…_Let's hope it stays peaceful, _Donna thought to herself, as she tightened her grip on her husband's hand and carried on their walk back up to the villa.

"So are you going to tell me about what you got up to?" Asked Sam, wiggling his eyebrows at his wife, as he pulled her to a stop in the courtyard.

Laughing, Donna leant close next to Sam's ear. "I don't think you want to know darling." She whispered, before placing a slow, seductive kiss on his cheek.

Before Sam had time to say anything else, Sophie emerged from the kitchen and smiled at the sight of her baby girl asleep in his arms. She walked over and took the sleeping tot from him, kissing Emma's forehead, as she cuddled her in her arms. Since returning from her trip to London, Sophie had been thinking more and more about whether, or not, Sam was her biological father. On the day of her mother's wedding, she had said she didn't care who her father was and the truth was, back then, she really didn't mind. Now, was a different story though. Thinking about how much things had changed over the past year and how happy Sam made her mother, Sophie wanted to know, if he was in fact her real dad. There was only one way to go about it and that was, of course going to the hospital for a DNA test. She didn't know how her mother or Sam would react when she asked him, but she knew she had to do it, for her own peace of mind if nothing else.

"Thanks for looking after Em for me." Said Sophie, smiling at her mother and gently rocking her little girl in her arms. "It really is great to be home."

Smiling back at her daughter, Donna let go of Sam's hand and wrapped her arms around Sophie. "It's good to have you home baby girl. It's where you and Emma belong." She whispered, gently kissing her forehead and then bending down to do the same to her granddaughter.

"After dinner…Can I have a talk with both of you? There's something I need to ask." Asked Sophie, nervously biting her lip, as she peered at her mom and Sam.

Donna nodded and watched as Sophie walked away cuddling Emma. There was something about what her daughter had just said, that left her feeling a little uneasy about what she wanted to talk about. Sam could sense it too and silently placed his arm around his wife's shoulder. Whatever it was, that Sophie wanted to talk about, they'd handle it as a couple and deal with whatever it was. For now, they both had other things on their minds…Dinner.

*******

A short while later, Tanya staggered out of the kitchen, champagne flute in hand and gently tapped her glass, to get everyone's attention. The whole family was stood by the bar talking, except for one missing person, Sky. Sophie was chatting and laughing with her stepbrothers, the Carmichael's were engrossed in one another and Rosie was rushing back an forth from the kitchen, looking rather flustered.

Tapping on her glass once more, Tanya cleared her throat. "Dinner is served." She announced, as everyone took a seat at the festively laid table.

Sam held out a chair for his wife and took a seat at the head of the table. He glanced around the table, at his happy family and winked at Donna. Checking that Emma was still fast asleep in her playpen, Sophie took a seat next to her mother and smiled as she took her hand. Everything looked amazing and Rosie had gone to so much effort cooking for, what she classed as, her family. Walking out of the kitchen, for the last time, the Dynamo brought a huge cooked turkey to the table and placed it down in front of Sam. She stood back and admired her good work, as Tanya gave her best friend a pat on the back.

Suddenly, the tall brunette's attention drifted away from the table and towards a figure walking towards them. "Fucking hell, the ghost of Christmas past." She muttered, as all eyes followed hers and instantly found Sky.

Seeing her husband's body tense and the colour quickly drain away from his face, Donna took hold of his hand and gave him a subtle squeeze. "Sam, relax." She whispered, giving him a reassuring smile, as Sky took a seat next to Sophie.

That of course, was easier said than done. Sam could feel his blood begin to boil, as he stared at the young man that had abandoned his daughter. Everyone was starting to feel uncomfortable and Donna knew she'd have to take matters into her own hands and stop dinner from being a total disaster. It was the first time she too had seen Sky and although she had things she wanted to say to him, she knew she couldn't right there and then, she'd have to bite her tongue. Taking a deep breath, Donna stood and raised a glass of champagne, smiling at the rest of the speechless table.

"Well Merry Christmas all... I'd like to thank Rosie for making this wonderful meal for us." Said Donna, raising her glass to her best friend, as everyone turned to congratulate her. "To friends and family, who couldn't be here with us today." She finished, raising her glass once more towards Tanya and her stepsons.

"Friends and family." The rest of the table chorused, as Donna sat down and placed a hand on her husband's leg.

The rest of the meal went as planned, with Donna doing well to keep Sam focused and the conversation flowing. Opening the eighth bottle of expensive champagne, Tanya threw Donna a confused look and topped her glass up, before passing the rest round the table. With the alcohol flowing, it seemed to be the way forward to keeping everyone happy and thankfully Sky kept quiet, only talking if someone spoke to him.

It soon grew dark and the courtyard looked absolutely beautiful, with the huge tree and fairy lights, illuminating the Christmas dinner. Baby Emma was soon awake too and thoroughly enjoying being passed around the table, being fussed over by her doting family. Right there and then, everything seemed so perfect. Everyone appeared to be having a great time and Donna felt herself relaxing fully, for the first time all day. She sat back in her seat and placed her hand on her bump, as she listened to the various conversations going on around the table. It wasn't until Rosie served the coffee, that Sam turned to his wife and smiled sweetly at her.

Leaning close, Sam placed a tender kiss on his wife's welcoming lips. "Are you okay darling?" He asked in a whisper, as he slowly ran his hand up her inner thigh making her jump slightly.

"Yes, I'm fine honey. Just a little tired that's all." Answered Donna, before returning his kiss and gazing lovingly into his steely, blue eyes.

She could tell her husband was a little drunk, but she didn't care. At least Sam wasn't still wanting to rip Sky's throat out just yet. As the Dynamos began telling stories about their wild nights performing with Donna, the boys sat open mouthed, hearing all about their stepmother's crazier years. She had to throw her backup girls a few warning glares, to make sure they didn't say too much, especially in front of her husband, but she was actually enjoying reminiscing with them. As Tanya came back from the bar with the brandy in hand, Sophie asked Sky to take their daughter back to the goat house and get her ready for bed. She wanted to spend a bit of time with her mom and prepare herself for their talk.

Noticing her daughter's fidgeting, Donna turned and smiled at her. "Do you want to go upstairs and have that talk now honey?" She asked, stroking a stray blonde curl behind Sophie's ear.

"Yes." Whispered Sophie, slowly standing from the table and watching as her mom whispered something into Sam's ear.

All three of them made their way up to the Carmichael's bedroom and with every step, Donna didn't know why she was so nervous, but she held tightly onto her husband's hand for support. Sitting down on her mother's bed, Sophie smiled as Donna sat down next to her and Sam leant against the dressing table, waiting eagerly to hear what the young woman had to say. It seemed like forever before Sophie finally cleared her throat and turned to face her mom.

"Now before I start, I want you to know, you can both say no." Said Sophie, sounding like she already had everything rehearsed in her head, as she played with a strand of her golden hair.

Donna rolled her eyes at her daughter and took her hand to stop her from rambling. "Sophie, whatever it is…Just tell us darling." She said in a calm reassuring manner, giving Sophie's hand a squeeze.

Staring into Donna's eyes, Sophie took a deep breath before continuing. "Well, I want to have a DNA test done…I want to know if you're my Dad." She said quietly, now looking up at Sam and biting her lip.

As her daughter's words registered, Donna looked up at Sam too. She could tell her husband was a little shocked by what Sophie had said and to be honest, she was too. It had come out of the blue, out of nowhere and after so long. Thinking about Sophie's earlier explanation, as to why she had been acting so strange, it all began to make sense to Donna. Sophie was feeling pushed out with her mother's marital status, two new siblings and another on the way. They were all Carmichael's and she was the only Sheridan left, she didn't feel like a real member of their family.

Straightening up, Sam slowly nodded. "Well if that's what you want sweetheart, then I'm happy to go along with it." He said, smiling down at the two most important women in his life.

"Can I ask you something baby girl?" Asked Donna, gently stroking her daughter's cheek, as she turned to face her with a smile. "And what if Sam isn't your real dad? Are you going to be able to handle that?"

Sophie nodded and stood from the bed. "Nothing will change. I feel in my heart you're my dad." She said walking over to stand in front of Sam. "But I just need confirmation. I need to know who I am." She finished, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest.

"I understand Soph." Sam whispered, hugging her tight and smiling down at his wife. "Leave it to me. I'll sort it out with Doctor Christou."

"Thank you." Whispered Sophie, breaking from the tight embrace and walking over the bedroom door. "It means so much to me right now." She added, before walking out and closing the door behind her.

The Carmichael's remained silent for a few moments, both of them taking in the conversation. Donna shook her head and peered up at her husband, who looked completely lost in thought. Standing, she walked over to where he was standing and ran her hands down his chest. Sam pulled his wife into his arms and softly kissed the top of her head, as he felt her body trembling against him.

Gazing into Donna's watery eyes, Sam smiled at her. "Hey, what is it sweetheart?" He asked, as he watched her wiping a stray tear from her cheekbone.

"All this." Answered Donna, pulling away from her husband and proceeding to pace the floor. "What if you're not her father Sam? What if she's Bill's, or Harry's?…I don't know about Sophie, but I don't think I could handle it if you're not." She continued, nibbling nervously on her nail. "That poor kid must feel so confused…And it's all my stupid fault."

Watching his wife getting more and more wound up, Sam shook his head at her. "It's not your fault Donna." He said, grabbing hold of her as she moved nearer to him. "So she wants to know if I'm her dad or not… And if she isn't…Well we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"It is my fault Sam." Said Donna, shrugging her husband off. "If I hadn't have been so fucking stupid, sleeping with those two other guys straight after you, then we wouldn't be in this predicament would we?" She asked, pacing the bedroom floor once more and placing a protective hand on her bump.

"Donna, stop it." Pleaded Sam, trying desperately to calm down his pregnant wife and grabbing hold of her again. "I don't care if Sophie isn't my flesh and blood…She is still mine, just as much as the boys and just as much as this little one." He continued, delicately stroking Donna's tummy.

Throwing her arms around her husband, Donna buried her face into the front of his shirt and inhaled his calming, familiar scent. She was worried, she was scared, but those last few words from Sam was enough to make everything alright again. Deep down she felt almost sure, that Sam had fathered her firstborn all those years ago. Really, she knew she should have seen it coming, that her daughter would want to find out who her dad was…_But will it be the answer we all want? _She silently asked herself. Only time and the test would tell.

**********

A.N. Hope it was okay? Wasn't very happy with that chapter, but wanted to get something up for you all… Loads of love, Liv x


	8. Chapter 8 Bonding

N.B. Hugs for the great reviews hunnies…You're fantastic! Mel, mwahs hunni and thanks for listening to my ideas mentor…Viki, have a fab time in London (Just like M, you're a LEG - END! Hahaha)…Charliiee, please behave yourself young lady! Xxx

**Warning! V 'M' Alert!**

**************

Chapter 8 Bonding

**********

The rest of Christmas night remained a happy occasion for all involved. Donna stayed on mineral water, whilst everyone around her got more inebriated by the hour and the Dynamos had even challenged the Carmichael men to a round of drinking games. She was exhausted, but didn't like the thought of leaving her stepsons all night with her insane best friends and Sam was acting no better, joining in with them all. Sitting and quietly observing her family, Donna relaxed back in her seat by the bar and placed her hands on her wriggling bump. Even though she was used to the sensation by now, it still felt strange, knowing there was a tiny life growing inside her. Sophie had gone to bed a while before, reassuring her mother that she'd got her life into perspective and would be making sure Sky left Kalokairi without any trouble. Something deep down, told Donna that she'd still have to keep a vigil eye on her husband, until she knew the young man had definitely left for good.

"Well hey there gorgeous." Slurred Sam, as he left the rowdy group and walked over to his wife. "Have I told you, how devastatingly beautiful you look this evening?" He asked, sitting down next to Donna and tenderly stroking her cheek.

Rolling her eyes, Donna couldn't help but laugh at her drunk husband. "Yes Sam, about ten minutes ago." She answered, leaning forward to plant a slow kiss on his lips. "And again, about five minutes before that honey." She finished, as she pulled away from him and gazed into his eyes.

Smiling, Sam cupped Donna's face in his hands and kissed her with unbridled passion. "Well it just has to be said, over and over again woman." He whispered, as they both broke for much needed air and laughed.

Noticing the loved up pair, Tanya pointed over to them and laughed. "See that's how it all starts Zack. That's the beginning of how babies are made." She said, causing the others to look over at the Carmichael's and laugh.

"Ermm yeah Tan…It's a little too late for that honey. Job done." Responded Rosie, shaking her head and passing her fellow Dynamo another shot of ouzo.

Looking up at the partying group, Donna smiled and turned back to face her handsome husband. "I'm going to have to call it a night darling." She whispered, gently running her hand through his hair and then across his collar. "Will you make sure the boys don't get too carried away?" She asked, staring lovingly into his gorgeous eyes. "We both know the girls will _never _be beaten."

Giving his wife a wink, Sam took her hand and placed a soft kiss on her palm. "I'll sort it and join you soon darling." He answered, as Donna smiled back a him and carefully stood, rubbing her aching lower back.

After giving everyone a kiss goodnight, Donna made her way up to bed and not a moment too soon either. With a mixture of surging pregnancy hormones, carrying excess weight and the emotions of the day, she was literally, ready to drop. Reaching the top step, she instantly noticed the door ajar and a dim light from her lamp, shining through into dark hallway. Knowing full well, she'd turned everything off and closed the door behind her when leaving, Donna approached the room with caution. She crept forward, purposely avoiding the old floorboards, she knew creaked and slowly pushed the door a little further open. Her heart was practically in her mouth, as Donna dared herself to pop her head round the door. With her heart regaining its regular pace, she smiled at the sight of her daughter and granddaughter cuddled up on her side of the bed. They must have gone up there, unnoticed by everyone else by the courtyard bar and by the look of it, had settled in for the night.

"Hey Mom." Whispered Sophie, opening her eyes and smiling sweetly at her mother, as she walked into the room. "I couldn't stand the thought of spending the night in the same room as him." She continued, pulling a sleeping Emma closer against her. "Can we stay with you tonight?"

Peering into her daughter's big, blue eyes, Donna smiled back at her. "Of course you can baby girl." She replied, walking into the bathroom to get ready for bed. "I don't know where your dad's going to sleep though…Maybe we could put him in with Sky." She added, as she pulled on her nightdress and heard Sophie giggle at her suggestion.

After removing her makeup and brushing her teeth, Donna walked back into the bedroom and climbed into bed beside her baby granddaughter. She rested her head on Sam's pillow and reached out to stroke Emma's soft blonde hair… _It brought back so many fond memories of Sophie's childhood, when her small daughter would creep into her room in the middle of the night and Donna would wake to find her cuddled up to her, as close as physically possibly. They had always been close, even when Sophie reached the moody teenage years, Donna had soon put her straight and very rarely let it bother her. No one could ever have accused her of being a bad mother, or a terrible role model to her child. She was always there for Sophie, no matter what and if that meant sacrificing her own needs, then it was done, no hesitation. _

"Does this remind you of when I was a kid?" Asked Sophie, realising her mother was lost in thought, as she tenderly stroked Emma's hair.

Nodding, Donna slid Emma closer towards her and held her arm out to her daughter. "Come here sweetie." She whispered, as Sophie moved even closer towards her too. "My god Soph, I've missed you two so much." She added, still in a whisper, as Sophie snuggled up close.

"I missed you too Mom…But I'm home now and I'm not going anywhere, I promise." Whispered Sophie, peering into her mother's ocean green eyes. "I know I've made some pretty silly mistakes in my life already, but I want you to know I'm not about to make anymore." She finished, smiling sweetly at Donna.

Leaning closer, Donna placed a tender kiss on Sophie's forehead. "Well that's good to hear honey." She whispered, before looking up towards the door, as Sam walked in.

Smiling at the sight of his three girls, cuddled up in bed together, made Sam feel warm inside. He'd known how empty his wife had felt, when Sophie had gone and now he was pleased to see them getting their maternal bond back on track. Since Sophie's request earlier, for a DNA test to be carried out, Sam had had to admit to himself, that he was in fact nervous. Yes there was a one in three chance that she could be his daughter, but that also meant there was a chance that she wasn't. There was nothing he'd love more, than to be able to say he'd fathered two children, with the woman of his dreams. It meant as much to him, as it did to Donna and Sophie and seeing them together now, made him want it all the more.

"Oh, I wasn't aware there was a slumber party going on." Giggled Sam, as he walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, next to his wife.

Giggling, Donna rolled onto her back and took Sam's hand. "Sorry honey, it's girls only I'm afraid." She said quietly, as to not wake up baby Emma. "And believe me, if it wasn't for the fact the bed's not big enough, the Dynamos would be up here like a shot." She continued, entwining her fingers through his.

Raising his eyebrow, Sam smiled, as Sophie giggled at her mother. "So it's like that is it?" He asked, leaning down to place a slow and passionate kiss on Donna's lips, feeling the tip of her tongue run across the entrance of his mouth. "I guess I better go find somewhere else to sleep then." He continued, wanting nothing more than to drag his wife with him. "I wonder if Tanya's got space in hers."

Pursing her lips, at her husband's obvious attempt to tease her, Donna stared deep into his eyes. "Go for it darling…Because the state she's in right now, I'll be damned if she even makes it back to the guestroom tonight." She said in a very low, calm tone, resisting the urge to lean forward and taste his lips once again.

"Good point." Responded Sam, as Sophie began to giggle at the sexual tension mounting between him and her mother. "I'll leave you girls to it." He said, standing from the bed and bending down to place a delicate kiss on first Sophie's forehead and then Emma's.

"Sleep well handsome." Whispered Donna, wrapping her arms around her husband's neck, as he finally bent down to kiss her goodnight. "Don't think I've forgotten about the second half of my Christmas present either big boy." She whispered into his ear, after he'd pulled away from her lips.

"Neither have I darling." Sam whispered in response, before bending down to kiss his wife's bump. "See you all in the morning." He added, walking over to the bedroom door and giving Donna a wink before he left.

As the door clicked closed, Donna could feel herself grinning and she turned back onto her side to face her smiling daughter. Seeing Sophie looking at her like that, made Donna burst out laughing. She didn't know what it was, but it wasn't long before Sophie started giggling too. Emma stirred between them, making soft moaning noises in her deep sleep and stopped her mother and grandmother giggling for the time being.

"What's so funny?" Donna asked in a whisper, getting herself comfortable once more and trying not to start laughing again.

Rolling her blue eyes at her mother, Sophie sighed. "You and Sam." She answered, pulling the covers up tighter around them. "Like a couple of randy teenagers… It's sweet."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I can't help myself sweetheart." Donna replied, gently biting down on her lower lip, as she thought about her husband slipping into bed somewhere all alone. "I can't begin to tell you, how so in love I am with him."

Taking her mom's hand Sophie smiled at her. "You don't have to apologise Mom. Everyone can see he feels exactly the same about you." She said, snuggling up close once more. "I'm happy for you both, I really am."

Smiling at her daughter's sincere words, Donna closed her eyes and holding her little girls close to her, she allowed herself to drift off into an almost instant sleep. With Christmas day out the way, who knew what the next day was going to hold for them all. Listening to the sound of her baby girl's gentle breathing, it wasn't too long before Sophie fell asleep. Like when she was a small child, Sophie always felt safe and secure sleeping in her mother's bed, knowing Donna would never let anything bad happen to her. Ever.

**********

Waking the next morning, Donna rolled over expecting to find her daughter and Emma. Finding the bed empty, she yawned and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was just after seven and Donna wondered if Emma had woken early as she usually did, making Sophie have to get up with her. Feeling refreshed after a decent nights sleep, she started to think about her husband all alone in one of the guest rooms and reached over to grab the phone. Pressing the memorised number to his cell phone, Donna sat up and waited for it to connect. It wasn't long before she heard Sam clear his throat as he answered her call.

"Morning darling." Croaked Sam, down the line, causing Donna to laugh at him. "Everything okay?"

Smirking, Donna played with the phone cord. "Fine sweetheart, but I was about to take a long, hot shower and wondered if you knew of anyone who'd like to join me?" She said in a low, seductive tone and trying not to burst out laughing, as she heard Sam jumping out of bed at the other end of the line.

"I'll be right there." Answered Sam, before promptly ending the call.

Replacing the receiver, Donna laughed at her husband's eagerness and climbed out of bed. She had meant every word of what she'd said to her daughter last night, she was utterly in love with her husband and hated spending time apart from him. Sam never failed to turn her on, even if she was mad at him. There was just something about how he looked at her, with his sexy smile and dreamy eyes, that made her go weak at the knees_… His eyes had been the first thing that had attracted her all those years ago, then his smile and then of course, his fantastically toned physique. The first time Donna had seen Sam's body, was when she'd taken him over to the little island she'd found and in a moment of madness, they'd both stripped down to their underwear for a midnight swim. They had been on a few dates before this, but this was the night, Donna realised she'd fallen madly in love with the handsome New Yorker. Drink had also been a contributor to their little escapade, but neither of them cared, as after messing around in the cool, clear waters, Sam had laid Donna down on the soft sand and tenderly made love to her. They had spent hours laying in one another's arms, before making love a few more times, as the sun came up over Kalokairi. Donna had managed to block out the rest of that morning with Sam…The part where he told her he was engaged and had to leave Greece to get married…_

Standing under the hot running water, Donna closed her eyes and smiled at the sound of her husband walking into the bathroom. Within a few moments, Sam had joined her under the water and had already snaked his arms around her body. His mouth was instantly drawn to his wife's neck, showering her with sensuous kisses, as he stood behind her. Relaxing back into her husband's hold, Donna tilted her head, to allow him further access. It was romantic and a serious turn on, knowing that with just one simple phone call, she could have Sam running straight into her arms.

"I missed not sleeping with you last night Mrs. Carmichael." Sam said in between his assault on her neck, causing Donna to moan softly and turn round in his arms.

"Really?" Asked Donna, trailing her hands down Sam's soaking chest and down to his waist. "How much?" She added, letting one hand travel further down, until she found his manhood.

Taking hold of his wife's other hand, Sam moved close to her ear. "How about I just show you darling." He said, closing his eyes and groaning, at the feeling of her now caressing his erect length.

Finding one another's mouths, the pair flew into a erotic kiss and wasted no time, exploring each other. The water was against them and was soon spilling out cooling water over their red, hot bodies, making them gasp all the more. Before she could send her husband over the edge too soon, Donna released her hold on him and broke from their never ending kiss. Staring silently into his dark eyes, she reached past him and shut off the now cold water, both of them feeling the coldness enveloping them. Taking Donna by the hand, Sam lead her to the bedroom and gently laid her down on the bed in front of him. Her soaking wet body stuck to the sheets and her breathing quickened, as she watched Sam move purposely towards her. He climbed onto the bed and positioned himself between Donna's legs, teasingly kissing his way up her inner thighs. The sensation of his lips moving closer and closer towards his intended destination, made Donna flinch under his touch. Quickly glancing up at her face, Sam parted his wife's legs further and paused before plunging his tongue into the warmth of her womanhood. This one movement alone, caused Donna to gasp loudly and her hips to involuntarily leave the bed.

"Jesus Christ…Sammmm." Moaned Donna, roughly running her hand through her husband's wet hair, as he teased her with the movement of his tongue.

Spurring him on all the more, Sam varied his actions, working out from his wife's vocal response and body movements, which one was transporting her to ecstasy the quickest. Starting slow and soft, he stimulated Donna's clitoris with the tip of his tongue and waited for her to moan, before plunging it back inside her. Feeling herself losing control, faster than she could comprehend, Donna's hands gripped tightly onto the sheets by the side of her jolting body. She could feel Sam working her into a lust filled frenzy and all she could do, was lay back and enjoy every single minute of it. Without much warning, Donna was soon overcome with an increasing sensation of tingling, stirring around her lower body. She was about to climax and she couldn't stop, as it took over her entire body and sent waves of pure unadulterated pleasure to her head.

With a few more flicks of his tongue, Sam pushed his wife completely over the edge. "Yes, oh my god yesssssssss." Screamed Donna, as her almighty orgasm hit her full force and she finally shuddered to slow stop against the damp sheets.

Struggling to catch her breath, Donna's lips curled up into a satisfied smile. Her chest was heaving and perspiration mixed with water from the shower, was trickling between her ample breasts. Yet again, her gorgeous husband, had proved to her what an amazing lover he was. Kissing his way back up her body, Sam kissed both Donna's breast, causing her to giggle.

"Now do you know how much I missed you last night?" Asked Sam, laying down next to his wife and placing his hands behind his head.

Letting out a dirty laugh, Donna sat up and slid over Sam, to straddle him. "I think I get the idea." She answered, slowly leaning forward and running the tip of her tongue across his lower lip.

Reaching up to run his hands through his wife's wet hair, Sam moaned as she then slid her tongue fully into his mouth. The kiss was deep and passionate, turning Sam on more than ever, knowing where his tongue had just been and that Donna would be able to taste herself on his lips… _When it came to making love, neither of them held back and it made them realise, just how compatible they were as a couple. There was nothing they wouldn't do for one another, making their sex life more enjoyable as time went on…_ Reluctantly breaking from their kiss, Donna gazed into her husband's eyes and smiled seductively, as she trailed her fingertips down his chest. She raised her hips and slowly slid down onto his solid erection, taking him deep into her. Sam moaned quietly and moved his hips to meet Donna's gentle movements, running his hands down her thighs as he did. They both remained silent for a while, just staring into one another's eyes, as they tenderly made love. Being on top meant Donna could be in total control of things and she liked nothing more, than to feel her husband writhing desperately beneath her, urging her on.

"You're so beautiful." Whispered Sam, still staring into his wife's sparkling green eyes and sliding his hands up to her hips. "I'm a very lucky man."

Smiling at her husband's words, Donna pushed herself deeper onto his manhood and made him moan, showing him just what they meant to her. Varying the movement and rhythm of her hips, Donna was beginning to feel the stirrings of another orgasm mounting. Sam could feel it to, as she fractionally tilted her hips forward and arched her back, pushing him even deeper into her tight, warm womanhood. Taking in the sight of her womanly, pregnant body, confirmed to Sam that he finally had everything he ever wanted. Words couldn't express just how much he loved and desired his wife and knowing she was carrying his child, made everything so much more special.

Speeding up the circular movements of her hips, Donna soon felt the well known tingling in her lower body. "Sam…I'm…." She panted, unable to get all her words out, as she reached her climax.

Tightening his hold on his wife's hips, Sam could feel her muscles gripping and releasing around his throbbing member, making him moan as he held back as best he could. Donna grabbed his hands on her hips and ground down hard against him, pushing her over the edge. She closed her eyes and threw her head back, as her orgasm exploded within. The wonderful sensation engulfed her entire body, sending shivers up and down her spine. The low continuous groan his wife emitted, confirmed to Sam that he could finally let himself go.

"Donnaaaaaaaaaa." Moaned Sam, closing his eyes as he felt himself ejaculating deep within his wife.

Collapsing down onto her husband's heaving chest, Donna felt light-headed. "Oh Sammm." She whispered, struggling to regulate her uneven breathing, as Sam ran his hands down her back and gasped for air too.

After laying still for a few minutes, relishing in the closeness, Donna finally allowed Sam to withdraw from her and moved to his side. They didn't say anything for a while, both completely overcome with the tenderness of their lovemaking. It wasn't until Sam started stroking his wife's bump, that Donna broke the silence with her giggling.

"You do realise, that when this baby comes along, I'm going to be too exhausted to even think about having sex?" Said Donna, placing a loving kiss on her husband's lips, before slipping out of bed. "You better enjoy it while you can babe." She giggled, walking naked across the room and into the bathroom.

"Oh, I'm enjoying it alright." Sam answered with a laugh, as he too got out of bed and walked into the bathroom behind his wife. "But something tells me, a baby isn't going to stop you darling." He continued, snaking his arms around her as she brushed her teeth in the mirror. "No way." He finished, kicking the door shut with his foot.

**********

Sat up on their bed together, the Carmichael's flicked through a baby book, Sam had bought on his last trip to New York. Donna had laughed, when she told her husband, she expected him to be at the 'business end' at the birth and he'd gone pale at the suggestion. They still hadn't come up with a name for their little one and couldn't seem to agree on anything either of them came up with. It still amazed Donna at times, that eighteen months previous, she'd been living the single life. Now, not only was she married to the only mad she'd ever loved, but she was a few weeks off giving birth to his baby and _that_ was something she'd never have imagined happening at her time of life… _Never letting another man get that close to her, Donna had simply resigned herself to the fact, that she'd end up alone and lonely. She knew Sophie was going to grow up and live her life, not needing her mother as much as she did when she was little and she had lived in dread of that day. The day Sky proposed to her daughter, was the day Donna started to cherish each minute with her all the more._

Peering up over her reading glasses, Donna looked towards the open bedroom door, hearing someone walking up the stairs. "Hey baby girl. Where did you get to this morning?" She asked, talking her glasses off, as Sophie walked in, holding a babbling baby Emma. "I woke up and you'd both gone."

"Emma woke early and I didn't want her to disturb you Mom." Answered Sophie, smiling at her mother and then at Emma, as she playfully tugged at her hair. "Listen…Can you do me a favour and watch Em for a while? There's a little problem I need to get rid of." She finished, smiling sweetly at Donna and Sam.

Knowing exactly what 'little problem', her daughter was referring to, Donna nodded and held out her arms for her to pass the baby over. Emma giggled softly, as her grandmother took her onto her lap and kissed the top of her head. Wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulder, Sam looked down at the happy tot and gently stroked her pink cheek. Donna peered back up her daughter and gave her a reassuring smile, letting her know everything was going to be alright in the end. Over the past few days, she had seen Sophie mature a great deal and knew whatever conclusion she came to, it would hopefully be the right one. She had lost count of the times, she had warned her daughter about Sky and that he had shown himself for what he really was. He wasn't interested in being a full time father to his daughter. He was too self centred for that.

"Thank you." Sophie whispered, blowing her little girl a kiss, before leaving the room.

She was nervous, yet adamant that there was no going back for her and Sky. He had made his feelings plainly obvious and that was something Sophie couldn't live with. Sky may have still loved her, but he wasn't in love with her and staying with a man like that, would be for all the wrong reasons. The only possible reason she would've stayed with him, was for the sake of her daughter growing up with her daddy. With the love and support of her family, she didn't need him and Emma certainly didn't. He was messing with her head and probably only doing his bit, to stop his mother and father getting at him.

Closing the door behind her, after letting herself back into the goat house, Sophie sighed when she came across Sky slouched on the sofa. "Get your things and get out. It's over." She said in a very calm, controlled voice, as Sky stood up and stared at her.

"No." Answered Sky defiantly, as Sophie stared back into his eyes. "I'm Emma's father. I have rights."

*************

A.N. Hope the 'M' wasn't too hot for you all hehe?! Next chapter coming soon and then I think I'm going to push the story on a little (D's baby!)… If ya want it, you know what you have to do all….Push it! Loads of love, Liv x


	9. Chapter 9 A Little Chat

**N.B. Well thank you all SOOO much for the fantastic reviews hunies! Mwahs… For Mel, Viki, Charliiee, Shanice & Martine! Please take a look at my NEW MM! ff I've started (Mamma Mia! Love Knows No Boundaries)…Dunno how long it's gonna last for though hehe, just a bit of fun to keep me on my toes! Lmao… Enjoy!**

'**M' warning towards the end! **(especially for Shanice hehe)

******************

Chapter 9 A Little Chat

************

Standing open mouthed at Sky's last comment, Sophie couldn't believe what she was hearing. He'd never showed much interest in his daughter before and when he did, it was always under duress. Now all of a sudden, he was trying to make out he was nominated for 'Daddy of The Year' and that he cared about little Emma upbringing. It was all a front and Sophie could see right through her ex-fiancé. The truth of the matter was, he didn't like being told what to do and seeing this side of Sophie, got his back up. So far everything had been on Sky's terms and Sophie had most definitely had enough of his carefree attitude. The only reason he played a small role in the baby girl's life, was to keep his parents quiet. Emma was their only grandchild and without Sky keeping Sophie sweet, they knew they'd eventually lose contact with her, something they weren't prepared to do. Sophie knew all this, she wasn't stupid and for a short while she'd chosen to just turn a blind eye, hoping Sky would come to his senses in the end.

"Rights?" Sophie said, slowly shaking her head at Sky. "And what exactly are your rights huh?…To screw Emma's life up as much as you have mine? To see her whenever you feel like it?…Come on, tell me." She demanded, her tone now becoming angered, as she stared icily at him.

"Don't play dumb Sophie, you know exactly what I mean." Responded Sky, stepping closer towards her. "She's my daughter. I have a right to spend time with her."

Stepping away from Sky and walking past him, Sophie ran up the stairs to her bedroom. She was pissed and feeling brave, as a surge of motherly love forced her to become even more protective of her baby. Reaching the top step, she instantly found what she was looking for. She grabbed Sky's packed bag and ran back down the stairs, where he was still stood in the same place where she'd left him. Silently staring at his ex, Sky watched as she walked past him, opened the goat house door and threw his belongings out onto the stone floor.

"I'll say it again Sky." Said Sophie, turning back to face him and placing her hands on her slim hips. "Get out." She finished, her voice now raised enough to show him she meant business.

Shaking his head, Sky walked purposely towards the petite blonde. "And I'll say it again." He said, standing a few inches away from her and staring straight into her baby, blue eyes. "You can't stop me from seeing my daughter Sophie. She's my flesh and blood and it'll kill my parents if they never see her again."

Feeling a little uneasy about her ex standing so close to her, Sophie tried to back away. "So that's what the change of heart is about?…Your parents." She replied, letting out a sarcastic snort of laughter, as she felt herself backing up against the open door. "You're a joke Sky. That's what you are, a joke."

Sky remained quiet for a few moments and Sophie could see he was starting to get angry with her. Glancing down at his clenched fists by his side, she was beginning to think she may have pushed him too far... _Sophie knew Sky's relationship with his mother and father was far from great and the only reason he tolerated them, was because they paid his way whenever he felt like taking off on a whim. He was a mummy's boy and used it to his advantage, something Sophie used to wind him up about when they first started dating…_ He walked towards her, his faced flushed with rage and this was the first time ever, Sophie had ever felt threatened by her ex-fiancé.

"I'm a joke?" Hissed Sky, coming to a stop a few feet away from Sophie. "What about you? Running back to Mommy and Daddy all the time like a lost little girl." He continued, moving towards her again. "But that's right, we don't know if he really is your Daddy, because your precious mother didn't know how to keep her legs shut."

Sophie could feel Sky's breath on her face and as his vicious words registered, she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "That's low Sky, even by your standards. You have no right to say things about my mom." She said quietly, ignoring the tears now tricking down her cheeks. "After everything she did for you…Giving you a job and a roof over your head for years…"

Standing outside the goat house, Donna and Sam had heard everything. Hurt and upset by Sky's words, Donna couldn't speak as she carefully cradled a sleeping Emma in her arms. She had held her husband back, telling him he should let their daughter handle this on her own, but now, she'd heard enough. Sky was bullying Sophie, trying to hurt her the best way he knew how…Insulting her mother. Sam turned and noticed his wife's silent tears and now he had had enough too. Storming through the door, he took the young man by surprise and grabbed him by the front of his t-shirt.

"I think it's time we had a little chat sunshine." Hissed Sam, dragging an unsuspecting Sky out of the goat house and slamming him up against the white exterior wall.

"Sam, take it easy." Pleaded Donna, taking hold of a sobbing Sophie and wrapping a protective arm around her, as she buried her face into the crease of her mother's neck.

Seeing her husband so worked up scared Donna. All the memories of his fight with Dan came rushing back and turned her stomach at the thought of him going from a gentle person, to a savage beast in the blink of an eye. He wasn't like that, it wasn't him. It was the whole situation that had been eating away at the pair of them, since Sky had decided to abandon their pregnant daughter. Sam was protective of his family and couldn't stand the thought of anyone hurting them in any way. Holding back and listening to Sky talking to Sophie like a piece of crap, had made him snap and he wasn't about to sit back and do nothing. It had gone on for far too long and now it was time for him to step up as a father and husband, brining it to an end.

Ignoring his wife's plea, Sam kept his tight hold on the young man and stared right into his eyes. "Now trying to threaten _my _daughter is bad enough, but when you insult my wife…You've overstepped the mark." He said in a low, menacing tone, feeling Sky's body tense as he stared back at him. "You have been asked by Sophie, to get your stuff and leave. Now are you going to listen and go, or do I have to make you myself?" He asked, tilting his head and raising his eyebrows.

Sky glanced over at Sophie and his daughter sleeping in the crook of Donna's arm. "I'm going." He answered quietly, turning back to look Sam in the eye.

"Good answer." Replied Sam, slowly releasing his hold on Sky and backing away from him.

Bending down to pick up his holdall, Sky stared coldly at Sophie as she peered up at him, from the safety of her mother's tight hold. Hearing raised voices on their way back from the beach, Ben and Zack had walked round the corner and witnessed their father pinning Sky against the wall. They both knew what was going on, as the Dynamos had given them the low down on the situation and feeling a special bond between them and Sophie, the boys had been far from impressed. They had fallen in love with their small niece and couldn't quite understand, why Sky didn't really want much to do with her upbringing. Now standing a few feet away, the boys stayed silent, waiting for Sky's next move.

"Don't think this is over Sophie." Said Sky, in a final attempt to get his point across. "You can't just erase me from Emma's life." He finished, shaking his head at her.

"Need a hand with your stuff Sky?" Asked Ben, walking over and taking hold of his bag, before throwing to his brother. "You come anywhere my sister again and you'll know about it, you fucking prick." He said in a threatening voice, leaning close to Sky's ear.

Sam was about to step in, not wanting his sons to have to get involved, but watched in amazement, as Zack launched Sky's bag over the wall near the entrance of the hotel. Sky stepped back from Ben and glanced one last time at Sophie, still stood with her mom. Now he knew for sure, he'd outstayed his welcome. He could handle Sam playing the hero, but he was now backed up by his two strapping sons and he was beginning to feel outnumbered. Without saying another word, Sky turned and walked away. Grabbing his bag on his way down the steps, he cursed under his breath and vowed he'd get his own back some day soon.

************

Felling proud of his two sons, for sticking up for Sophie like that, Sam joined them at the bar for a well earned beer. He could tell they both thought a lot about Sophie and hoped that the test he was going to organise, would confirm that she was indeed their half sister. Spending time with Ben and Zack, gave his wife the opportunity to spend much needed time with her emotional daughter. Sophie was upset and understandably so, with her run in with Sky. He had hurt her and his cruel words about her mother had cut deep.

"How much of that did you hear?" Asked Sophie, curled up on her bed, as she watched Donna gently laying a still sleeping Emma, down in her crib.

After tucking her gorgeous granddaughter in with her pink blanket, Donna walked over to Sophie's bed and climbed on next to her. "All of it." She answered, laying her head down on the pillow next to her daughter's.

Feeling her tears falling from her eyes once more, Sophie snuggled up close to her mother. "I'm so sorry Mom. I can't believe he could be so nasty." She said quietly, feeling Donna pulling her close. "He had no right to say anything about you."

"Shhhh baby girl." Whispered Donna, gently stroking her daughter's soft curls. "It doesn't matter now. It's over."

Even though Sky's words had hurt, Donna refused to let him get to her now… _No, they didn't know for sure if Sam was Sophie's father, but that was soon going to change. Her past had been a well guarded secret for so long and even though it was all out in the open now, she still felt guilty for keeping it from her daughter's three potential fathers. She wasn't proud about her past and she had had to live with it on her mind for so many lonely years. Sophie and her happiness, meant the world to Donna and that was all she'd ever strived for. She was exactly the same with little Emma too, knowing as long as she and Sam were around, the small tot would never want for anything…_

"I love you Mom." Whispered Sophie, closing her stinging eyes and relaxing in her mother's arms.

Closing her eyes too, Donna sighed deeply. "I love you too Soph." She whispered, as they both fell asleep within minutes.

************

Since Sky's departure from the island, the mood around the villa had lifted and the Dynamos were disappointed, they'd slept through the action packed eviction. Dinner had been fun, with Sam insisting Rosie didn't cook after her hard work the previous night. Ordering in pizza's from the mainland, the boys had enjoyed rallying Donna's jeep around, on their way down to collect them from the dock. Donna on the other hand, had been far from impressed with their actions, after hearing them skidding to a loud halt, stopping millimetres away from the arched entrance to her hotel. Not being able to stay mad at them for long, she had melted at their cute smiles and even given them money from her husband's wallet, to go out on the mainland later that night. Everything was back to normal and everyone was happy once more.

Clearing away the last of the left over pizza, Donna yawned as she threw the pile of boxes into the garbage can and placed her hands on her bump. "Bedtime little one." She whispered to herself, as she turned out the kitchen light and walked out into the cool night breeze.

Sam was sat waiting for his wife by the bar and smiled as she beckoned him to follow her up to bed. "Now there's an offer I can't refuse." He giggled, wiggling his eyebrows at her and standing to follow.

Finally reaching the bedroom, Sam was surprised to find his wife already stripped off and laying in bed. She looked exhausted, as she wriggled down under the covers and smiled sweetly at him. It had been a long day for all of them and while Donna had been spending time with Sophie, Sam had called Doctor Christou, to arrange the DNA test.

Stripping of himself, Sam couldn't wait to climb into bed next to the warmth of his wife's body. "I've arranged the test." He announced, as he slid into bed next to Donna and pulled her into his strong arms, placing a tender kiss on her lips.

"What? When?" Asked Donna, slightly shocked as she turned round in her husband's arms and gazed into his eyes. "You kept that one quiet."

Smiling, Sam trailed his fingertips down Donna's arm, as she reached up to stroke his cheek. "After the boys kicked Sky out." He answered, laughing softly at the thought of his sons being so protective of their sister. "I figured there was no point stalling. I want to know, just as much as Soph." He finished, starting to look a little sad.

Donna sighed, watching her husband's expression change so suddenly. "I'm so sorry darling." She whispered, leaning forward to kiss his lips. "I truly am." She added, feeling her heart aching at the thought of Sam's anguish.

"Hey, what are you sorry for?" Asked Sam, peering into his wife's green eyes and noticing them filling with tears.

"For putting you through this. For putting Soph through this." Replied Donna, closing her eyes, in an attempt to stop her tears from making an escape down her face. "Sky was right. I shouldn't have been such a slut…"

Pulling her even closer, Sam delicately kissed Donna's lips, making her open her eyes at his tenderness. "Darling, you are not a slut and I won't have you saying things like that. You were young, we both were. Things happen in life that we can't go back and change. We have to learn to live with them and move on." He said, now gently wiping his beautiful wife's tears away. "We're a family and no matter what that test says, Sophie is still my daughter."

Smiling at her husband's touching words, Donna couldn't help herself kissing him again and again. Sam responded to his wife's kiss, sliding his hand down to the dip of her back, causing her to moan softly at his sensitive touch on her naked flesh. They knew it wasn't going to end in sex tonight, they were both just enjoying the closeness of the moment and as Donna broke for much needed air, she turned in Sam's arms. Cuddling up close behind his wife, Sam leant forward and placed one last kiss on her cheek, sliding his hand round to rest on her bump.

"So when do we go?" Asked Donna, placing her hand over her husband's and getting comfortable on her pillow.

Closing his eyes, Sam pulled the warm covers up tighter around their perfectly spooned bodies. "Tomorrow morning." He answered, returning his hand to stroke Donna's pregnant belly.

***********

After a terrible night's sleep of tossing and turning, Donna gently moved Sam's arm from around her waist and slid out of bed. It wasn't even six o'clock yet, but she'd given up on trying to get comfortable and decided to go and make some fresh coffee. Pulling on her robe, Donna tied it tightly around her growing bump and quietly made her way down to the courtyard… _She loved the early mornings on Kalokairi, with the crisp sea breeze wafting up from the beach bellow and the sound of the native birds singing their dawn chorus. It was always the same throughout the seasons and that was what had made her fall in love with Greece all those years previous…_

Before reaching the kitchen, Donna looked across towards the guest quarters and wondered if her stepsons had returned from their night out safely. Postponing the idea of coffee, she climbed the steps to room seven and quietly approached the door. Not wanting to wake Ben and Zack so early, Donna turned the handle to take a quick peek round the door. No surprise, it was unlocked as usual and as she glanced across at the beds, she noticed Ben's was empty. Allowing her eyes to adjust to the dark room, she peered over at Zack's and quickly found he was there, but he wasn't on his own. Donna's mouth dropped open, as she realised her nineteen year old son, was asleep with his arms draped across a naked blonde. Quietly closing the door, she turned and made her way to the kitchen. Coffee was starting to feel like the best plan now. She wasn't happy that her youngest son had brought a one night stand back to the villa and she knew her husband would be even less impressed.

"Morning Mom." Said Ben sheepishly, as he came face to face with Donna in the courtyard.

Staring at a half dressed Ben, with his arm draped over the shoulder of a scantily clad, giggling brunette, Donna shook her head. "What the hell are you and your brother playing at?" She asked in an angered tone, tightening her robe. "Looking at the state of you two, there's no guessing what you've been up to on the beach."

Trying not to giggle, Ben peered down at the stone floor. "Sorry." He responded quietly, as his female companion giggled again.

"Sorry isn't going to cut it this time Ben." Said Donna calmly, even though she felt like screaming at him. "This might be a hotel, but it's also my home. Now you may think it's okay to be treating it like some cheap motel, but I certainly don't." She continued, staring coldly at her eldest son, as he finally looked up at her.

Donna was fuming and Ben knew he and his brother had disappointed her. He felt bad, after everything she had done for them and now they had let her down badly. If his father found out about it, their lives wouldn't be worth living. Ben was nervous and wondered if his stepmother would keep it quiet or feel it necessary to tell him about what they'd done. He remained silent, just looking at Donna worriedly, as she shook her head at him once more.

"I'm going to make some coffee." Said Donna after a long pause. "I want you to go wake your brother and his _date_." She continued, with a sigh, as the girl with Ben giggled uncontrollably. "You can both escort the girls down to the dock and then come and find me. I think it's time to set a few ground rules."

Ben nodded and quickly dragged the brunette with him, as he went to find his younger brother. Watching them disappear round the corner towards the guest quarters, Donna took a deep breath and continued her short walk to the kitchen. She knew she'd made herself understood with her stepson and now she wanted to stop her husband finding out. Sam would only kick off with their sons and knowing he was already worried about going for the DNA test later on, she wanted to keep things as calm as possible. Being a mother to three grown kids was proving to be harder than she thought it'd be. With everything that had gone on with Sophie, Ben's ex-girlfriend going for a termination and Zack hating her in the very beginning, Donna was doing well to stay so strong.

**********

With everyone now up around the villa, the Carmichael's had got dressed after eating breakfast on the balcony together and Donna had managed to have her talk with the boys, without Sam being none the wiser. She could tell her husband was nervous, by the way he kept checking his watch every few minutes and if she was to be honest with herself, she was too.

"It's going to be okay honey." Said Donna, standing up from the balcony table and following her husband back into their bedroom. "Relax."

Turning to face his wife, Sam smiled and held his arms out towards her. "I know it is sweetheart." He said quietly, wrapping his arms around her, as Donna ran her hands down his chest and rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't know why I'm so tense."

Raising her head to peer into her husband's gorgeous blue eyes, Donna grinned wickedly at him. "Would a kiss calm you down?" She asked, biting her lower lip and trailing her hands up to the collar of his shirt.

"Yes I think it might." Answered Sam, laughing at the naughty glint in his wife's eyes.

Pushing Sam back against the wall, Donna placed her mouth over his and kissed him slow and tenderly, running her hands down the front of his shirt. Sam moaned softly as Donna eventually slid her tongue fully into his mouth brushing it against his own. With her hands still exploring the masculine contours of her husband's body, Donna brought them to a rest on his belt buckle and proceeded to undo it, along with the buttons to his jeans. Sam could feel himself hardening at an alarming rate, wondering what his beautiful wife's intentions were. All was soon apparent, as Donna wasted no time pushing them down, along with his underwear and she broke from their passionate kiss to give him a cheeky wink.

"What are you up to woman?" Sam asked, his eyes wide with excitement, as he watched his wife slowly sink to her knees in front of him.

Not needing to answer her husband's question, Donna gently took hold of his solid erection and ran her tongue around the tip. Sam groaned and closed his eyes, at the sensation of his wife now taking his manhood deep into her mouth. Starting slow and teasing, Donna varied the pressure and worked her husband up towards his climax. His breathing became shallow and rapid, as Sam reached down and ran his fingers through his wife's blonde waves. She knew exactly what she was doing and listening to Sam's increasing lust filled moans, Donna upped the pace for the last time. Swirling her tongue and taking him even deeper, she knew he was close to coming and reached round to grab his naked rear.

Feeling himself begin to climax, Sam couldn't hold back as his wife's lips and tongue drove him wild. "Shit Donnaaaaaaaaaaaa." He moaned, as his whole body tensed and he hit an earth shattering orgasm.

Slowly pulling away from her husband, after she was sure he was satisfied, Donna smiled confidently and discretely wiped the corner of her mouth. Sam was still breathing hard, but had a huge smile on his face, as he extended his hand to help his pregnant wife back to her feet. Tilting her head to one side, Donna giggled and wrapped her arms around Sam's waist.

"Better?" Donna asked, watching Sam slowly shake his head at her, as he tenderly stroked her cheek.

Raising an eyebrow at her, Sam laughed. "Much." He replied, pulling her close and kissing her passionately on the lips.

Throwing her head back and emitting a throaty laugh, Donna parted from their embrace and slowly looked her husband up and down. "Good. Now I think you better get your pants back on honey, we don't want to be late do we?" She said, checking her appearance in the mirror, before grabbing her purse from the dressing table and leaving the room.

After rearranging his clothing, Sam couldn't take the huge grin off his face, as he followed his wife down to the courtyard. Donna was stood waiting for him and Sophie and giggled at his flushed complexion. It wasn't long before they were joined by Sophie, carrying baby Emma. Noticing her daughter's confused expression, Donna turned and smiled, wondering whatever could be the matter with her.

"Ermmm Mom, Zack's just been to the goat house to ask me if there was any laundry I needed doing." Said Sophie, shaking her head in disbelief. "Since when do teenage guys do laundry?"

Donna started laughing and turned to walk towards the entrance steps to the hotel. She knew her little talk with her sons had worked wonders, when she'd threatened to tell their father about their behaviour. When they had apologised profusely and asked if there was anything they could do to make it up to her, Donna had simply asked for a bit of help around the villa and by the looks of it, they had started straight away.

"I could ask the same thing." Said Sam, now walking along side his wife and narrowing his eyes at her smirk.

Talking hold of her husband's hand, as she walked carefully down the rocky path to the jeep, Donna turned her head and winked at her daughter. "It's amazing what you get, when you ask for something quietly and authoritatively." She said, trying hard not to burst out laughing at Sam and Sophie's shocked faces.

************

A.N. Grrrr that was a difficult chapter to write. Writers block is a biatch! Lol… Next chapter will be moving on… sorry if that was crap guys, loads of love, Liv x


	10. Chapter 10 Daddy?

N.B. Hey guys, many thanks for the wonderful reviews…You rock! Mwahs… Mel, my mentor, hugs hunni,…Viki, glad you had an AB FAB time in London (but where the hell are you now woman?), mwahs… Charliiee, isn't it my job to worry about you babe? Hehe, love ya xxx

**M Warning Peeps!**

****************

Chapter 10 Daddy?

***********

Four agonising weeks had past and the Carmichael's were still awaiting the results from the DNA test. Getting up early every morning, Sam had walked down to the entrance of the villa to collect the post and grew more anxious, each time the letter from the hospital wasn't there. The new year had arrived and the Dynamos had departed soon after, to sort out things at their retrospective homes. Both women had promised to be back in time for the birth of Donna's baby and told Sam, they expected regular updates on her pregnancy. The boys had returned to New York too, in time for the start of college and Donna hated the villa being so empty. Since getting married, the hotel had always been home to her best friends and extended family, at some point and now it was far too quiet for her liking. The only positive aspect, was that Sam could get his wife to relax and take it easy, before things around the hotel got hectic once more after the birth.

Sam made his way up to the bedroom, carrying a tray of breakfast for his beautiful wife. She was still asleep, after a terrible night of trying to get comfortable with her now huge baby bump. Donna knew she'd put most of her weight on during the last few weeks and that her cravings for ice-cream in the middle of the night, weren't helping much. Finding Donna's curvy pregnant body sexy, Sam had found it hard over the past few weeks, when she had gone off the idea of making love and left him to take uncountable cold showers, alone.

"Sweetheart." Said Sam softy, pushing the bedroom door open with his foot and walking in to place the tray on the end of the bed. "I've brought you some breakfast sleepyhead."

Donna stirred slightly at the sound of her husband's voice, but rolled onto her side and went back to sleep. With only three weeks left of her pregnancy, she had been really struggling and found the early mornings a real drag. Sam had found it hard to cope too, with his wife's erratic mood swings; one minute Donna would be full of the joys of life and the next, she would be crying because he'd brought her the wrong pickles in the middle of the night. With their love life suffering, Sam had had to make do with holding Donna and being as supportive as he could for her. He knew it would all be worth it in the end, when they'd be holding their newborn baby in their arms and raising it together as a couple.

"It's going cold darling." Whispered Sam, climbing onto the bed behind Donna and gently nuzzling her warm neck.

Opening her eyes and blinking to allow them to adjust to the bright light coming in through the open shutters, Donna moaned quietly at Sam's touch. "What time is it?" She asked after clearing her throat and pulling her husband's arm tighter around her.

Continuing his light kisses on her neck, Sam breathed in Donna's sweet scent and could feel a familiar stirring in his pants. "Just after seven gorgeous. You told me to wake you." He whispered, never letting his lips break contact with her soft flesh.

Feeling her husband's arousal pressing against her back, Donna couldn't help but emit a small giggle. "Tell little Sam, thanks for the wake up call." She said quietly, before slowly turning onto her back and making herself comfortable. "Something smells good honey. You've been busy." She finished, pushing herself further up and looking down at the breakfast tray.

"I hope you're hungry." Said Sam, sitting up and grabbing the tray to place on his wife's lap. "Eggs, bacon, pancakes and coffee." He continued, pouring out Donna a cup of hot fresh coffee. "Enjoy darling. I'm going down to collect the mail." He finished, placing a teasing kiss on her lips, flicking his tongue across the entrance of her mouth.

"Are you trying to make me fat Mr. Carmichael?" Donna asked, as Sam pulled away from her and stood up to leave.

Opening the door, Sam turned to flash Donna a cheeky grin. "I think I already did." He answered, laughing as his wife feigned a hurt expression and threw a pillow at the door.

"Asshole." Donna giggled, as her husband dodged her missile and closed the door behind him.

She giggled to herself, as she looked down at the plate of food in front of her. Sam had even gone to the trouble of cutting her wholemeal toast into heart shapes and placed a flower on the side of the tray. Knowing that she'd been pushing him away for the past few weeks, made Donna feel guilty. She didn't mean to, but she was finding it so difficult to get a grip on her emotions. She couldn't remember feeling like this whilst pregnant with Sophie, but then again, she didn't have a man at the time and she had just got on with everything as best she could…_I must make it up to him, _Donna thought to herself, as she sighed and tucked into her breakfast.

**********

Collecting the mail and bringing it back up to the reception, Sam sat down at the desk and sorted through it. There was nothing that stood out as being a letter from the hospital, but along with the usual bills, there was one envelope that caught his eye. Noticing the distinctive embossed stamp of the boy's college in New York, Sam frowned as he opened it. Slowly scanning the page, it soon became clear that it was from the Dean and he was concerned about Ben. By the looks of things, Sam's eldest son had been skipping lectures and failing to hand in assignments on time. This wasn't like Ben at all. He had always been a keen student, proud of his work and striving for the best grades possible, but according to the letter, it had all stopped. Sam closed his eyes and sighed loudly, just as a now dressed Donna made her way down the stairs. She instantly noticed the worried expression on her husband's face and came to a standstill in front of the desk.

"What is it darling?" Asked Donna, watching as Sam quickly folded up the letter a stuffed it into the top drawer of her desk.

Shaking his head Sam peered up at his wife and smiled. "It's nothing to worry about sweetheart." He replied, eyeing her up and down. "Steeling my shirts again I see. Soon you'll be wearing my boxers woman." He finished, changing the subject and giggling at the sight of her in his favourite white shirt.

Walking around the desk and sliding down onto her husband's lap, Donna wrapped one arm around his neck. "You're a terrible liar Samuel Carmichael. If there's a problem, I have the right to know honey." She said calmly, staring deep into his eyes and reaching for the drawer.

"Fine." Muttered Sam, leaning back in the chair, so Donna could retrieve the letter.

Reaching for her reading glasses, Donna slid them on and began reading. Sam watched his wife's expression change from a soft smile, to a confused scowl. It didn't take long for her to finish and fold it back up, taking off her glasses too. Donna peered round at her husband and slowly shook her head, she couldn't understand it. She too knew Ben had been enjoying studying architecture at college, but this letter discredited that notion completely. Even over the holidays, Sam had been discussing opening up an office in Greece, for when his sons graduated and Ben had been enthusiastic about the idea. Now, it didn't make sense, why he'd be cutting class and not keeping up to the workload.

"Did he not say anything to you?" Asked Donna, staring straight into her husband's dark blue eyes. "He told me he was loving college."

Sam shook his head and rested his hand on Donna's thigh. "Not a thing. He seemed excited when we were talking about setting up a business here…I just can't understand it." He responded, now looking lost in thought, as his gaze fell back to the letter on the desk.

"Maybe…" Donna replied, cutting short to chose her words. "Maybe Ben's still not over Lorraine's death…Or maybe what happened with Tia has affected him more than we initially thought." She continued, trying to think of all the possibilities why their son would be doing this. "What are you going to do?"

"I'll call him. Have a chat and see what he has to say." Answered Sam, pulling his wife back to rest against his chest. "Ben better have a bloody good excuse, that's all." He finished, closing his eyes at the sensation of Donna wrapping her arm around him and gently kissing his neck.

"Promise me you won't be too hard on him darling." Whispered Donna, in between tender kisses, knowing she was definitely turning Sam on. "Steaming in isn't going to get you anywhere."

Pulling away from his wife's kisses, Sam smiled and shook his head at her. "It's a promise." He said, staring at her perfect lips and then down at her shirt undone to the top of her breasts. "You are such a tease Donna. I thought you were going over to the mainland with Soph and Emma?"

Hooking her finger under Sam's chin, Donna guided his face back up to meet hers. "I am, but that doesn't mean I can't have a cuddle with my handsome husband, before I go." She answered, before leaning close to place a slow passionate kiss on his lips.

It didn't take a genius, to work out her husband was worried about the eldest son's behaviour and the truth was, so was she. Donna knew if Sam rang Ben, shouting the odds, he'd clam up and probably not bother to go back to college at all. She had her husband's promise that he wouldn't and she hoped she could trust him to handle the matter sensitively…_It reminded Donna of the time she'd had received a phone call from Sophie's school on the mainland. She was around fourteen or fifteen at the time and had decided to bunk off school for the afternoon, with a boy. Donna had been furious when her daughter had walked in that afternoon and she asked her about her day at school. Going into great detail about every subject, Sophie rambled on, until her mother placed her finger up to her lip to silence her. The argument that proceeded was heated, with both Sheridan's storming off in different directions. When she had calmed down and thought about her mother's words of disappointment, Sophie had gone to find Donna to apologise. That was the last time Sophie skipped school, terrified of letting her mother down again._

Sam responded to his wife's kiss, until she slowly broke for air. "Get out of here woman, so you can some back to spend the afternoon with me." He said, giving her rear a light slap, as Donna slid off his lap.

"Sounds good baby." Responded Donna, picking up her purse and giving Sam a wink, before she left the reception in search of her daughter.

*************

The morning soon flew by, with Sam working on some new drawings for work and many attempts to get hold of his son, without success. He didn't know if Ben was ignoring him, or was not answering his calls because he was actually in college. Placing the phone down for the last time, Sam sighed and carried on with his sketches. He was fully enthralled with what he doing, that he didn't notice Pepper walking into the reception and coming to a stop in front of the desk.

"Ermm Sam, sorry to bother you, but a courier just dropped this off for you." Said Pepper, holding out a large envelope, as Sam looked up at him. "I signed for it, hope you don't mind."

Taking the envelope out of the young workers hand, Sam peered down at it. "No, not at all, thanks Pepper." He said, running his thumb over the Athens hospital logo.

"No worries boss." Answered Pepper, turning and hurrying off, back to his chores.

With his palms beginning to sweat and his heart thumping double time in his chest, Sam stared down at the letter in his hands. This was it, the answer he and his family had been waiting for. He was nervous, almost scared, wondering if the result was going to be the one he and his wife so desperately wanted… _Donna had brought the subject up a few times over the past weeks and Sam had done his best to reassure her all would work out fine. Secretly, he was containing his own nerves and uncertainties. Sam had told himself over and over, that if it turned out Sophie wasn't actually his daughter, it wouldn't change anything between them. Like Donna was with his sons, he would always class the young Sheridan woman as his own daughter and no piece of paper would change that_… Placing the brown envelope down on the desk, Sam knew he should wait for Donna and Sophie to return from the mainland, before he opened it.

Carrying on with his drawings for the next hour, Sam's gaze kept falling to the letter and he had never felt so relieved when he heard his wife chatting to Eddie, as she walked up from the hotel entrance. He stood and waited for her to finish her conversation and smiled as she finally walked into the reception to join him.

"Hey darling, sorry I was so long, but Soph ran into some old school friends and we ended up having some lunch with them." Said Donna, walking round the desk and leaning close to plant a tender kiss on her husband's lips. "What's wrong, you seem tense. Is it Ben?" She asked, slowly pulling away and noticing Sam's lack of attention to what she'd just said.

Shaking his head, Sam took Donna's hand in his and smiled. "No, it's not Ben. I couldn't get hold of him." He answered, glancing down at the envelope on the desk. "We had a delivery." He added, picking it up and handing to his wife.

Donna looked down at the letter in her hand and instantly saw the hospital stamp. It could only mean one thing. The results from the DNA had finally arrived and they were about to discover their past and future, all at the same time. She could feel herself starting to physically shake, as she handed it back to Sam. If anyone should be the one to open it, she knew it should be her husband and besides, her hands were trembling so much, she didn't know if she'd manage it.

"Don't you think we should wait for Sophie?" Asked Sam, his voice quivering slightly, as he held Donna's hand even tighter.

Thinking for a few moments, Donna gazed into her husband's eyes and slowly shook her head. "She'll be a while yet and maybe it'd be a good idea to know and then either way, we'll know how to break it to her." She replied, before looking back down at the envelope in Sam's hand. "Open it darling. Let's get this over and done with."

Letting go of his wife's hand, Sam nodded and slowly ripped open the top of the envelope. He was shaking too and as he pulled out the papers inside, he literally held his breath for a few moments, to calm himself down. Donna was exactly the same, taking a deep breath and staring intensely into her husband's eyes, as he scanned over the letter. He seemed to be taking ages and she couldn't stand the painful wait anymore. She needed to know, if it had been the love of her life that had fathered her firstborn child or not.

"Sam, please, what does it say?" Whispered Donna nervously, never once taking her eyes of Sam's face.

Slowly looking up into his wife's already watering eyes, Sam turned the paper round for her to look at the last page. "It's official darling…Sophie's mine." He said, his voice cracking with emotion, as the tears of joy and relief trickled down his cheeks. "She's my daughter."

As the words fell from Sam's mouth, Donna's tears sprang from her eyes. She knew it, she'd always known it deep down and now it was all official, the only man she'd ever loved, was in fact her child's father. She and Sam stared at one another for a few seconds, both completely overwhelmed with raw emotion, before Donna fell into his arms. They were both crying and laughing at the same time, as Sam hooked his finger under his wife's chin and brushed his lips against hers. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Donna kissed Sam back with more passion than ever before. All along, they had been sharing this special bond and now it wasn't some naughty little secret, that Donna had been so ashamed of.

Reluctantly pulling away from her husband, Donna smiled lovingly and reached out to wipe away his tears. "Congratulations _daddy._" She whispered, as Sam wiped her tears too. "I knew you would be. I always knew."

"I'm the happiest man in the world right now. You knew how much it meant to me sweetheart." Whispered Sam, tenderly stroking his wife's cheek. "Now our family is nearly complete." He finished, placing his other hand on top of her bump.

Smiling, Donna took hold of Sam's hand from her stomach and entwined her fingers through his. "Come with me." She whispered, gently biting down on her lower lip, as she took hold of his other hand.

"Why, where are we going?" Sam asked, smirking at the naughty glint in his wife's eyes and walking with her as she pulled him up the stairs behind her.

"To bed." Answered Donna, walking a few steps in front of him. "I want to make love to the father of my children…All four of them." She added, yanking Sam through the door as they reached the bedroom.

****

Closing the bedroom door behind him, Sam turned to face his wife and smiled. Donna still had tears cascading down her prominent cheekbones and was smiling back at him… Everything was beginning to fall into place and at this precise moment in time, neither of them could have been happier. Like Sam had said, their family was nearly complete and for the first time in a long while, the future was looking positive for them all…Slowly pulling his t-shirt off over his head, Sam watched as Donna quickly unbuttoned the white shirt she was wearing and let it fall to the floor behind her. Next to be removed, was her white bra and stood in just a pair of black linen trousers, she beckoned her husband over with her finger.

"Come here handsome." Whispered Donna, reaching down for the buckle of Sam's jeans, as he moved up close to her.

As their lips met, for a passionate and pleasing kiss, Sam's hands wandered down to the button of his wife's trousers. It didn't take long, for the Carmichael's to strip each other naked and fall back into the comfy surroundings of their marital bed. They remained silent, allowing their hands and lips do the talking and the only sound to be heard for quite some time, was that of the occasional breathless moan coming from both of them. With the room becoming hot and their body temperatures rising, Donna knew it would only be a matter of moments, until she would feel her husband inside of her. She rolled onto her side, allowing Sam to move up close behind her and as he placed alluring kisses around her neck, he slowly entered her womanhood with his erect member. Donna gasped softly, at the sensation of Sam filling her entirely and beginning to move his hips in a gentle rocking motion. Her hand travelled behind them, resting on her husband's rear and guiding him in and out of her, as she needed it. The pace was slow, yet deep and Sam took hold of one of his wife's breasts, teasing the erect nipple between his thumb and forefinger. It was driving Donna wild and she couldn't stop herself crying out in complete ecstasy, gripping tighter onto her husband's rear, urging him on. Although it wasn't the most intimate of positions, it was the only comfortable way the Carmichael's could now make love, due to Donna's huge bump getting in the way. Sam didn't mind though, because at least it meant he could still make love to his wife and more importantly, make her climax like he usually did.

Continuing his slow, deep thrust into his wife, Sam tenderly nibbled on her earlobe. "I love you Mrs. Carmichael." He whispered, trailing his hand down from her breast and onto her bump.

Closing her eyes and trying to control her breathing, Donna placed her hand over her husband's. "I love you too darling. More than you'll ever know." She whispered in response, then sliding Sam's hand from her bump, to between her legs.

Knowing exactly what his wife needed, Sam proceeded to stimulate her most sensitive place with his fingertips. He worked on her clitoris at the same pace as his quickening thrusts within her, listening to Donna's moans increasing with each stroke. It was a major turn on for him, hearing his wife trying to call out his name, only for him to cut her short, by applying more pressure between her legs. Donna was starting to lose control and there was nothing she could do about it. Her husband was good at what he was doing, too good in fact, knowing he had complete power over how soon she reached her climax. Turning her head, Donna was able to find Sam's lips and he groaned loudly, as she forcefully slid her tongue in to meet his. Their kiss was fast and urgent, matching Donna hip movements and Sam's thrusts. They were both reaching the point of no return, as Sam applied even more pressure, caressing his wife and she bit down on his lower lip, to tell him she was almost there. Sam moaned into Donna's mouth, at the sensation of her getting wetter around his touch and deepened his thrusts of his throbbing length, for the last time.

"Oh my goddddddddd." Donna moaned loudly, causing her husband to groan loudly too as she broke from their kiss and arched herself further against his body.

With the well known tensing and contracting around his manhood, Sam could tell Donna was approaching her climax and fast. He held off as best he could, until he heard her crying out his name, as her orgasm hit full force. She buried her face into her pillow, to try and quieten her high pitched scream of lust, as her body shuddered against her husband's. Feeling himself throbbing uncontrollably, Sam did the same into the crease of his wife's neck, as he reached his orgasm a few seconds after hers. With a few slow, final thrust, Sam had given Donna everything he had and they both came to a stop, their breathing fast and shallow. Allowing their breathing to regulate, Sam removed his touch from between his wife's legs and held her perspiring body tightly against his. He planted a tender, thank you kiss on her shoulder and carefully withdrew from her lower body.

With a satisfied smile on her face, Donna slowly turned in Sam's arms to face him. "That was wonderful." She whispered, gently stroking his cheek and closing her watery eyes, as Sam leant forward to brush his lips against hers.

Holding onto one another, it wasn't long before the Carmichael's both drifted off into an exhausted sleep. They had celebrated the fact that Sam was in fact Sophie's father, the best way they knew how and it wouldn't be too long until _their_ daughter returned from the mainland, so they could let her know the fantastic news. For Donna, it was such a huge relief that her husband was indeed Sophie's father and she now had closer after nearly twenty-two years.

***********

Finally getting up to shower, Sam left his wife to sleep peacefully for a while longer and made his way down to the kitchen, to start preparing dinner for his family. He was still on cloud nine, as he got to work, following the recipe for chicken risotto, that Rosie had left him. He laughed to himself, as he read though the step by step instructions, the Dynamo had written and highlighted the little pointers, like 'don't burn the onions'. Sam didn't mind cooking, it's just that he wasn't that good at it, but tonight, he was determined to make a real effort.

"Something smells good." Said Sophie, leaning on the doorframe to the kitchen, with a sleeping Emma in her arms. "But you must have done something really bad, for Mom to banish you to the kitchen." She finished, giggling softly, as Sam turned round to face her.

Stirring away at the large pan on the stove, Sam winked at Sophie. "That's what you think kiddo." He replied, opening a drawer to grab some cutlery. "Can you do me a favour and go tell your mother, that dinner will be ten minutes?"

Still giggling at the sight of Sam making dinner, Sophie nodded. "Yeah sure…I for one am looking forward to see if Mr. Carmichael can actually cook." She responded, quickly dodging out the way, as Sam threw a hand towel in her direction. "Ohhh, touchy." She finished, laughing and walking away from the kitchen, to go find her mother.

Running into her, as she came down the stairs, Sophie looked a little concerned. Donna looked tired and was rubbing the underneath of her big, baby bump. The expression on her face, told Sophie something wasn't quite right with her mom. Sliding Emma onto her hip, as she woke up and started babbling, Sophie held her hand out to her mother. Donna smiled and took her daughter's hand, reaching the bottom step and placing a loving kiss on her forehead.

"Are you alright Mom?…You look worn out." Asked Sophie, holding her mother's hand as they walked out into the courtyard. "I thought you were coming back here for a nap."

Rolling her eyes, Donna tried not to laugh. "I did darling." She answered, as they slowly walked over to where Sam was putting the side plates out on the set table. "_Eventually._" She muttered under her breath and biting her lower lip, as Sam looked up and gave her a cheeky wink.

Sophie looked suspiciously at her mom and then at Sam. "Okay, I don't think I want to know what your definition of a nap is, thanks." She said, shaking her head as she placed Emma into her highchair and strapped her in. "But there is something seriously wrong when your heavily pregnant mother, is getting more action in the bedroom than you are." She added, taking a seat next to her daughter and blowing a raspberry at her, causing the tot to giggle.

"No talking about sex at the dinner table please young lady." Laughed Donna, taking her seat on the other side of Emma and handing her a piece of bread to chew on. "There is a child present."

Placing a place of food in front of the two women, Sam sat down next to her wife and smiled as she leaned over to plant a tender kiss on his lips. Both Donna and Sophie looked impressed and started to eat straight away, as Sam cooled his granddaughter's meal and leant across to place her bowl on the highchair tray. They all ate the meal, chatting about the events of the day and Sophie's afternoon with her two old school friends. Sam sat back and listened to his daughter ramble on and smiled to himself as he felt Donna take his hand under the table and give it a subtle squeeze. It didn't take long for the family to finish eating and all of them watched in awe, as even Emma tucked in, flinging food in all directions.

"You're so messy baby girl." Giggled Sophie, taking a napkin and wiping her baby's mouth. "Rachel couldn't believe how much Em looked like you and me Mom." She continued, peering up at her mother and smiling. "A mini Sheridan she said."

Donna smiled and nodded, as she looked down at her gorgeous little granddaughter. "She is indeed…But maybe with a little bit of Carmichael thrown in there too." She replied, glancing round at Sam, as he pulled the letter out of his pocket and handed it over to a confused looking Sophie.

Opening it up, Sophie began to scan over the pages, holding tight onto her daughter's hand as she did. "Oh my god…You really are my dad." Whispered Sophie, slowly looking up at Sam as her big, blue eyes filled with tears. "Oh my god." She repeated, dropping the letter on the table and clasping her hand over her mouth.

"Yes I am sweetheart." Sam answered, with a huge smile fixed on his face, as he peered round at his wife.

With tears of joy streaming down both the women's faces, Sophie slowly stood and walked round to Sam. "I'm so happy it was you." She whispered, as Sam stood to take his daughter in his arms.

Holding his trembling daughter in his arms, Sam kissed her forehead, as Sophie looked up at him. "Me too baby girl." He responded, as Donna slowly stood and wrapped her arms around them both.

They all stood in a tight embrace for a short while, much to the delight of a gurgling Emma, who sat and watched from her highchair. Donna slowly parted and stared at the sight in front of her. Her heart melted, watching the love of her life, hugging her daughter, _their _daughter and seeing him silently crying too. It was wonderful feeling, knowing all those years ago, they had actually managed to create such a beautiful, young lady, after only spending that one wild night together. Sophie felt relieved too, finally finding out her father was the only man her mother had ever loved and that empty void in her life, had now been filled.

Wiping her tears, Donna took a deep breath and placed her hand on her bump, as a sharp pain shot through it. "I'll leave you two to talk and I'll clear the dishes." She said quietly, breathing through the pain and forcing a smile, as her husband and daughter turned to look at her.

"No Mom, you're tired…Sit down, _Dad_ and I will take care of it." Answered Sophie, grinning at Sam, as she called him dad, before turning to look back at her mother.

Before Donna had time to respond, she felt a sudden, hot gush between her legs and the sound of splattering on the ground. All three of them looked in horror, at the water now pooling around her feet. She had been ignoring the intermittent niggling pains all day and had simply passed them off, as the baby just getting short of space as it moved around. Little did Donna know, it was her baby's way of telling her, it was nearly time to make it's entrance into the big, wide world.

With a sarcastic snort of laughter, Donna placed her hands on her bump. "Yeah, maybe it would be a good idea for you and your dad to do the dishes." She said, as both Sam and Sophie stood open mouthed, frozen to the spot.

***********

A.N. Sorry it took so long to update hunnies, but like I said, the writers block is a killer lol… Sorry to SarandonStreepObsessed, I know you didn't want Sam to be the daddy, but I had to go with the majority and it would have only caused MORE drama for the Carmichael's hahaha (and added more to the block I'm trying to break.) lol… Press the button if ya want more peeps, loads of love, Liv x


	11. Chapter 11 Welcome To The World!

N.B. Well thank you ALL so much for the fantastic reviews on the last chapter. You guys are the BEST and really keep me writing! For Mel & V, love ya girls, mwahs! I've tried to write this chapter, as true to one of my actual birth experiences as possible. So apologise in advance, if you find it a little long and drawn out (some of you wanted a chapter on the birth, not just a birth announcement lol)… Anyway, enough rambling, ENJOY! X

******************

Chapter 11 Welcome To The World

************

Staying remarkably calm, Donna had taken her time and gone back to her bedroom with Sam. She wanted to have a bath and clean herself up, after her waters breaking unexpectedly in the courtyard. Sam on the other hand, was a complete mess and couldn't stop himself from panicking, as he fussed over his wife. Not in any real pain so far, Donna relaxed back in the hot bath, as her husband paced the bathroom and timed how far apart her contractions were hitting, now they'd started. They were still irregular and Donna was able to calmly breathe through them, making Sam worry all the more. He didn't feel comfortable with the idea of his wife being in labour, when they were so far away from the hospital on the mainland. The Carmichael's had been told by Doctor Christou, that as soon as anything happened and Donna showed signs of going into labour, they were to contact him right away. Due to Donna's age and the fact her blood pressure had kept rising, the doctor wanted to be on the safe side, taking no undue risks.

Staring down at his wife, Sam dialled the number for the doctor's office and waited for a while, until he gave up after no one answered. "There's no one there." He said worriedly, placing his cell phone back in his pocket and running his hand through his hair. "I think we should go to the hospital Donna." He added, peering into his wife's eyes, as she stroked her bump.

"I told you Sam, I don't want to have my baby in the hospital." Replied Donna, smiling up at her husband. "Besides, my contractions are over ten minutes apart. It could be hours until this little one shows signs of moving." She finished, as her expression changed and her bump contracted, making her wince slightly.

A few months previous, the Carmichael's had been discussing the birth of their child and Donna had expressed her wishes, that the baby be born at home. She hated hospitals, ever since she had given birth to Sophie on the mainland, all by herself. Not only that, but memories of Emma's birth had also given her nightmares and made her realise, how close they had been to losing her and their daughter.

Checking his watch, Sam shook his head. "That was six minutes since the last one darling. I want you out the bath and getting dressed." He said, grabbing a clean towel and holding his hand out to his wife.

Donna sighed and took Sam's hand to haul herself out of the soothing, hot water. "My god, you worry too much Samuel." She replied, stepping out of the tub and allowing him to wrap the fluffy towel around her body. "Why don't you just try the doctor again?"

"I've tried three times sweetheart." Answered Sam, guiding Donna by the shoulders, into the bedroom and rifling through her drawers for her underwear. "Now, you're going to get dressed so we can go to the hospital…I'm an architect, not a midwife." He finished, causing his wife to laugh, as she stepped into her panties and sat down on the bed.

There was no use Donna arguing with her husband. Sam was adamant that they should go to the hospital, seeing as they couldn't get hold of Doctor Christou. He couldn't believe how calm his wife was handling everything so far, but knew it would all change once the real pain kicked in…_It may have been nearly twenty years ago, since the birth of his youngest son, but Sam remembered the experience like it was only yesterday. Having missed Ben's birth by a few minutes, after getting caught in traffic, Sam had vowed to be there for Zack's birth. He remembered how calm Lorraine had been at first, but how she suddenly changed into a woman possessed and nearly strangled him towards the end…_Something told Sam, this was the calm before storm.

"Come on beautiful." Smiled Sam, taking Donna's hand and picking up her packed bag, after getting her dressed. "Let's go have a baby." He finished, pausing in the doorway, to kiss his wife's soft lips.

Running her hand through Sam's hair, Donna savoured his kiss. "Are you sure we can't stay here?" She asked, after pulling away and fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Nice try darling, but no." Answered Sam, giving Donna one last peck on the lips and taking her hand to lead her down the stairs.

**********

Kissing her daughter and grandchild goodbye, had been hard for Donna and the bumpy ride down to the ferry, had been even harder. Her contractions were fluctuating from six to ten minutes apart and although they were uncomfortable, it was nothing she couldn't cope with. Waiting for the ferry to dock at Kalokairi, seemed to take forever for the Carmichael's and all the time, Sam was calling Doctor Christou's office, in an attempt to tell him that Donna was in labour. There was still no answer, as Sam put his cell phone away and held tightly onto his wife's hand, finally boarding the ferry.

Snuggling up to her husband, Donna nuzzled her face into the crease of his aftershave scented neck. "Can you believe we're about to become parents again?" She whispered, closing her eyes at the sensation of him wrapping his arms protectively around her.

"No." Sam answered, laughing softly as Donna kissed his neck. "In fact today has been a little surreal…It's not everyday you find out you are in fact the father of another kid and then, your wife goes into labour with your fourth." He continued, gently stroking Donna's cheek, as she raised her face to look into his eyes.

Smiling, Donna took her husband's hand and placed it on her rock hard bump. "Anyone would think you're trying to start your own soccer team." She said, just as another contraction hit and caused her to gasp with its growing intensity.

Holding his wife close, as she breathed through her contraction, Sam gazed at the lights on the harbour. "Maybe we should get this one out of the way, before you plan on anymore babe." He responded, scanning the dock for a vacant taxi, as the ferry docked.

Gripping Donna's hand and guiding her into a waiting taxi, Sam jumped in next to her. Giving the driver the name of the private hospital, it wasn't long before the car came to a stop outside the modern looking whitewashed building and Sam helped his wife out. He continued to time her increasing contractions and it soon became obvious, they were now coming closer together. Donna was putting on a brave face, pausing when one sent a wave of pain through the bottom of her bump and using the breathing techniques she'd practised with Sophie.

Walking down the deserted corridor, it wasn't long before they were greeted by one of Doctor Christou's nurses. She was an older Greek lady, who spoke perfect English and smiled sympathetically at the sight of Donna, nearly doubled over with pain. Donna had met the friendly nurse at nearly all of her appointments at the hospital and there was something about her calm presence, that helped her to relax a little. There was no denying she was now petrified and looking up at her equally worried husband, didn't make Donna feel any better. Inside, she was so scared, it reminded her of right before her precious baby girl had been born. The pain had been almost unbearable, but as soon as she held Sophie in her arms, Donna had instantly forgotten about it.

"Mrs. Carmichael, we weren't expecting you for another three weeks." Said the nurse, wrapping her arm around Donna's waist and helping her to a nearby private room. "Let's get you settled and I'll page the doctor."

Handing Donna a hospital gown, the friendly nurse left Sam to help his wife undress and went to call Doctor Christou. Pausing, to breathe through another contraction, Donna rested against the bed and cried out in pain, reaching out for her husband. They were now coming more frequently and the pain was becoming more intense, causing beads of sweat to form on her brow. Sam was beginning to feel helpless, wishing the doctor would hurry up and come to examine his wife. After about a minute, the pain had slowly subsided and Sam helped her up onto the bed, as Doctor Christou walked in with the nurse.

"Good evening Mr and Mrs. Carmichael." Said the doctor, shaking Sam's hand and then smiling at Donna. "I take it baby Carmichael is growing impatient."

"Yes, something like that." Mumbled Donna, placing a hand over her bump, as Sam took hold of her other. "My waters broke about an hour and a half ago." She finished, watching as the doctor instructed the nurse to take her blood pressure.

Sitting down on the end of the bed, Doctor Christou nodded. "Do you mind if I examine you Donna? We can see how far along you are." He asked, slowly parting her legs as she nodded in agreement. "How often are your contraction coming?" He then asked, pulling on a latex glove and sliding his hand between Donna's legs.

Feeling his wife squeezing his hand tightly, Sam realised she was in pain as the doctor carried out his internal examination. "They're down to every four minutes." He answered, leaning down to whisper words of encouragement into Donna's ear.

Thankfully for Donna, the examination was over in a few minutes and the doctor stood to read the blood pressure results. Sam never took his eyes off Doctor Christou, while holding his wife's hand tightly and noticed him writing everything down. If anything, he was thorough and it helped to put Sam's mind at ease, that his wife was in safe hands. Donna on the other hand, didn't care if the doctor was thorough, she was now in more pain and wanted the baby to be born as soon as possible. She yelped quietly, as another contraction hit, bringing tears to her eyes and causing Doctor Christou to look up at her.

"You're five centimetres dilated Mrs. Carmichael. So half way there already." Said the doctor, smiling and rigging up a foetal monitor. "Blood pressure's a little high, so we're just going to keep an eye on baby and make sure it isn't in any distress." He continued, exposing Donna's bump and placing two straps under her back, attaching them on top of her belly.

Within a few seconds, the room was filled with the sound of baby Carmichael's steady heartbeat and the doctor looked happy. Sam smiled down at his wife and leant close to place a slow kiss on her lips. He could tell Donna was in pain and scared, but he wanted to reassure her, that he was here for her. Feeling another contraction building, Donna closed her eyes and tried to breathe through it, gripping tightly onto her husband's hand. She was already tired and the thought of only being half way near to giving birth, filled her with dread.

"What about pain relief." Donna finally asked, relaxing back after the contraction subsided. "I need something if I'm going to have hours of this." She finished, as Doctor Christou nodded at her.

"The nurse will give you a shot of Pethadine. It won't take away the pain completely, but it with help relax you and hopefully give you chance to nap in between contractions." Replied Doctor Christou, closing up Donna's notes and walking over to her. "It's your second pregnancy, so it might not take hours. Things often progress quite quickly towards the end." He finished, gently patting her hand and leaving the room.

Sam held Donna close, as the nurse administered the injection of pain relief and he took a seat by the side of her bed, as the nurse dimmed the lights on her way out of the room. They were alone at last, listening to the sound of their baby's heartbeat and Sam smiled as his wife turned her head to peer at him. He noticed the glazed look in her eyes and realised the shot must be taking effect, as she looked like she was about to fall asleep. Donna felt strangely relaxed, almost stoned and as another contraction hit, she closed her eyes to let it wash over her. Sam glanced over at the monitors, as the baby's heart rate increased loudly during and returned to normal as it finished. It was exciting and scary at the same time, knowing that soon they'd be meeting the already loved child, they'd created together. Looking down at his watch, Sam knew they were going to be in for a long night, as it was already after ten.

Giggling softly, Donna made herself as comfortable as the monitor straps would allow. "This stuff is fantastic…I wonder if Tanya knows about it?" She said, giggling again, as Sam rolled his eyes at her.

"I'm sure she does darling. I don't think there's a drug that woman hasn't tried and tested over the years." Answered Sam, resting his elbow on the bed and stroking his wife's cheek. "Why don't you try and get some sleep, before this little one makes the final bid for freedom?" He suggested, then leaning forward and tenderly kissing her damp forehead.

Grinning cheekily, Donna grabbed her husband round the back of his neck. "I've got a better idea…Why don't you get in here with me and make my blood pressure rise even more?" She replied in almost a slur, kissing him teasingly on the lips.

Laughing, Sam unhooked his wife's arms from around his neck. "Now I know you're high sweetheart." He responded, shaking his head and watching Donna smile sleepily. "Only you could suggest sex during labour."

"Will you read to me?" Asked Donna in a whisper, placing her hands over her bump and talking long, deep breaths, as another contraction hit.

Nodding, Sam reached for the holdall they'd brought with them to the hospital and soon found the poetry book he'd given Donna for their anniversary. He turned to one of the pages, she'd bookmarked as her favourites and started to recite the poem to his wife. Donna closed her eyes and listened to her husband's soothing tones, mixed with the sound of their baby's heartbeat and soon drifted off into a Pethadine induced sleep. Carrying on reading, until he was sure his wife was settled, Sam finally closed the book and placed it on the hospital nightstand. He stared down at Donna peacefully sleeping and couldn't help but smile at how stunningly beautiful she was, even in the early stages of labour. Sam slowly stood, bent down to place a delicate kiss on her lips and quietly left the room. Closing the door behind him, Sam let his eyes adjust to the brightly lit, white corridor and rested against the wall, as he pulled out his cell phone.

Sophie had promised to get hold of the Dynamos and let them know that her mother had gone into labour earlier than expected, so Sam decided to check in with her. The phone back at the villa rang for a short time, before an excited Sophie answered.

"Hey sweetheart, It's me." Said Sam quietly into the phone, as to not disrupt anyone else in the hospital.

"Oh my god, I've been waiting for you to call. How's Mom? Is baby here yet?" Sophie asked down the line, not pausing for breath.

Sam smiled, at the sound of his daughter's excite voice. "No baby yet. Mom's fine though, a little high on pain relief, but doing okay." He replied, smiling at another doctor, as he walked past him down the corridor.

"Can I talk to her?" Sophie asked, after giggling at the thought of her mother being spaced out on the drugs she'd been given.

"She's asleep darling, but I've got a feeling it won't be for long." Answered Sam, knowing the pain relief wouldn't work forever. "Did you manage to get hold of the Dynamos? Because god help us both if they thought we hadn't kept them up to date."

Sophie laughed at her father's question. "I got through to Aunt Rosie, who is getting on the next fight from London and she said the last she heard, Aunt Tanya was already on her way back from LA." She explained, still in an overly excited tone.

"Good work sweetheart." Sam responded into his cell phone. "I'm going to call the boys and get back to your mother. I promise to call you as soon as I have news."

"Okay. Give Mom a kiss from me and Emma…Bye Dad." Sophie answered, before hanging up the phone on her end.

Pressing the call end button, Sam was about to press the speed dial for his son's apartment, when he heard Donna call out for him. Slipping the phone back into the pocket of his jeans, he opened the door to the room and instantly found his wife, looking as though she was in a lot of pain. He walked over to Donna and took her into his arms, feeling her body trembling beneath his touch. She was perspiring and grabbing her bump, as she let out a loud scream. Doctor Christou had been right, the second part of Donna's labour, was progressing rather quickly and it had taken her by surprise.

Keeping his arm around his wife, Sam went through the breathing technique with her, as an almighty contraction hit two minutes after the last. "Okay darling, just breathe." He said calmly, trying to sooth Donna as best he could.

"You breathe." Donna responded quickly, tears now trickling down her face. "Don't just stand there. Get the doctor…This baby's coming." She continued, panting and wincing at the same time.

Springing into action, Sam pressed the call button for the nurse, before turning his attention back to his wife. In less than a minute, Doctor Christou had come into the room, quickly followed by his nurse. Examining Donna again, the doctor smiled signalling all was progressing as it should be and without being asked, his nurse had set up the gas and air for her. After being handed the mouthpiece to suck on, Donna embraced her next powerful contraction, with the help of the Entonox. It made her feel like she was floating, but unfortunately, didn't take away the now excruciating pain she was in.

"Donna, you're cervix nearly fully dilated." Said Doctor Christou, helping his nurse to drop the end of the hospital bed. "So when you're next contraction comes, I want you to use the Entonox to get you through it." He continued, raising Donna's hospital gown further and watching the monitors. "I know it's going to be hard, but don't start pushing until I tell you to."

Hating to see his wife in so much pain, Sam felt helpless, as he stood by her side and held her hand. "Come on darling. You can do it." He whispered, leaning close down towards her ear and kissing her on the cheek.

"I can't do it. I can't." Donna moaned, shaking her head as perspiration now trickled down her chest.

The pain was now constant and Donna could feel her huge bump getting tighter by the second. Biting down on the mouthpiece, she sucked hard on the gas and air, welcoming the out of body floating feeling she got from it. Doctor Christou's gaze was firmly fixed on the foetal monitors, listening as the baby's heart rate spiked and dropped erratically, giving him small cause for concern. Taking a cup of ice chippings from the nurse, Sam offered it to his wife, who looked at him like he was insane.

"Ice?" Asked Donna, beginning to get a little delirious with the pain. "I only want it, if it's got a double vodka poured over it." She finished, causing the nurse and Doctor Christou to laugh at her.

Placing the cup down on the nightstand, Sam was trying not to cry out as Donna squeezed his hand so tight, she actually stopped his circulation. She was busy sucking on the Entonox to even notice her husband's discomfort and batted his hand away, as Sam then tried to wipe her brow with a cool facecloth. Before he could attempt it again, another contraction took Donna's breath away, making her scream out in pain.

"You're doing amazing baby." Soothed Sam, trying to wipe her face once more and this time succeeding. "Keep breathing." He finished, leaning close to kiss her forehead.

"Get… off… me… you bastard." Hissed Donna, in between sucking on the gas and air. "It's all your fault I'm in this pain." She continued, her body now writhing in agony, as the foetal monitors beeped loudly.

Sam knew not to take his wife's words to heart. He had gone through all this before, at the birth of his youngest son and he knew he should be quiet, letting Donna vent as she needed to. The nurse looked up at Sam and gave him a sympathetic smile, reassuring him it was normal for his wife to be letting him know how much pain she was in. Before Donna knew what was happening, Doctor Christou was examining her again and eagerly watching the monitors at the same time. The baby's heart rate was dropping with each contraction and he was concerned that Donna was going to struggle with the delivery.

Looking up at Donna, as she gripped Sam's hand once more, the doctor placed a hand on her bump. "We need to get this baby delivered as quick as we can." He said in a calm tone, trying not to panic the Carmichael's. "With your next contraction Donna, I want you to take a deep breath and push down into your bottom…Keep going until I say stop."

"What's going on Doctor? Is the baby alright?" Asked Sam worriedly, as he too noticed the baby's slowing heart rate.

"Oh my god." Groaned Donna, squeezing her husband's hand as tight as she could. "Please don't let anything happen to my baby." She sobbed, tears now streaming down her flushed face.

Gently tapping one of Donna's raised knees, Doctor Christou smiled. "Let's take this one step at a time." He said, in his still very calm tone. "Now, you remember what I said?…As soon as you feel the contraction start, use it and push." He finished, watching the monitors once more.

Donna was now shaking, pulling Sam closer towards her and feeling the next contraction mounting. Holding her close, Sam whispered words of encouragement into her ear and stroked her damp hair away from her face. Taking a deep breath, Donna felt her bump contract and an urge to suddenly push. A sharp pain ripped through the underneath of her pregnant stomach, as she closed her eyes and pushed with all her strength, emitting a low growl sound as she did. Sam kept his hold on his wife, glancing anxiously at the doctor, as he told her to keep pushing.

"Okay, relax Donna." Doctor Christou instructed, placing a hand on her bump. "As the next one comes, do the same. Baby's head is nearly crowning." He finished, watching the monitors again, to make sure the baby wasn't too distressed.

Before Donna had time to recover from the last, another searing pain shot through her, causing her to grip tighter onto Sam's hand. She was so close to finally giving birth, yet she didn't think her pushing was getting her anywhere. The pain was unbelievable, much worse than she remembered with Sophie and on top of it all, she was physically exhausted already. Doing as the doctor instructed, Donna took another deep breath and pushed as hard as she possibly could. She screamed, as a horrific burning sensation ripped through her womanhood, causing her to nearly pass out.

Doctor Christou looked up at the Carmichael's and smiled. "The head's nearly out." He announced, sending a wave of relief through Sam. "On the next one, I need you to stop pushing as soon as I say… and pant."

Donna looked up at her husband and slowly shook her head. "I can't do it." She whispered, as fresh tears cascaded down her already tear stained cheeks.

"Yes you can darling. You've nearly done it." Sam whispered back, squeezing her hand, as yet another contraction ripped through her. "Push Donna." He finished, wrapping his arm around his wife's body and supporting her weight as she bared down.

The burning sensation came to an end and a sudden feeling of calm swept over Donna. Doctor Christou told her to stop pushing and begin panting, as the baby's head emerged and he checked around it's neck for the cord. Noticing the doctor's sudden worried expression, made Sam feel nauseous and he turned his attention back to his wife, as not to worry her too. Something wasn't right and Donna soon picked up on it, breathing hard and peering down at the doctor. So far, the Carmichael's hadn't heard their baby make a sound, but before Donna could begin to panic, one final contraction overcame her.

"That's it, push Donna." Instructed Doctor Christou, pulling the small baby's limp body out as she did and cutting the cord.

Donna slumped back against the bed, as the doctor carried the newborn baby to a unit in the corner of the room. The room was eerily silent, until Donna looked up at her now crying husband and sobbed loudly. Sam could feel his legs go weak and he slowly sank down into the chair beside his wife's bed. Pulling her into his arms, Sam watched as the doctor worked on their baby, clearing fluid from it's airways. Donna couldn't bare to look, burying her face into the crease of Sam's neck, as she remembered back to her horrible nightmares, where she never got to hold her child.

Doctor Christou remained silent, as he turned the tiny baby over and rubbed it's back with a firm hand. Within a few seconds, a loud, piercing cry broke the silence and the Carmichael's looked over anxiously. Allowing the nurse to take over with cleaning up the baby, the doctor turned and walked over to Sam and Donna. He smiled, as he held out his hand for Sam to shake it.

"Congratulations Mr and Mrs. Carmichael, you have a new son." Said Doctor Christou, shaking Sam's hand and then doing the same to Donna's. "He had me worried there for a moment, but he's going to be just fine." He finished with a big smile, before leaving the room.

Closing her eyes, with a huge beam on her face, Donna rested her head against Sam's chest. She had never been so scared in her entire life, when her newborn baby hadn't cried at first and now she was just moments away from holding their son in her arms. Hearing his son cry, as the nurse weighed him and wrapped him in a white blanket, made Sam cry tears of joy. It had been so difficult for his wife, but she'd done it. Going through all that terrible pain, to provide them with another child.

"We did it." Donna whispered, peering up into her husband's eyes and reaching up to wipe away his tears. "We have a little boy." She continued, smiling as Sam leant forward and kissed her passionately.

Breaking from their kiss, Sam wiped Donna's tears and smiled at her. "You did it darling. You are amazing, thank you." He whispered, kissing her lips again and again, as they both giggled.

Walking over, with the tiny bundle in her arms, the nurse smiled at the Carmichael's and handed the baby over to Donna. "He's perfect…and a good weight too. Six pounds, four ounces." She informed them, before quietly leaving the room, to give the family some privacy.

Both Sam and Donna stared down at the tiny baby in her arms. He was gorgeous, with dark hair like his daddy and green eyes, like his mommy. Donna's heart melted, at the sight of their son staring up at her, whilst making occasional sharp crying noises and sucking on his little hand. She leant down to kiss his forehead, inhaling his sweet baby scent as her lips made contact with his soft skin. It was totally overwhelming for her, knowing she now had another little life depending on her and Sam.

"Hello baby boy. I'm you're Mommy." Whispered Donna, still staring in wonder at her newborn. "And this is your Daddy." She continued, as Sam climbed onto the bed beside her, leaning close to kiss his son's head.

Shuffling into a comfortable position, Sam pulled his wife and child into his arms. Donna snuggled up against him, as they both stared in awe at their baby boy, who was now sleeping peacefully cuddled up on Donna's chest. They couldn't take their eyes off him, his perfect peachy skin and cute button nose, just listening to his gentle breathing. Everything seemed so perfect and their family now complete.

Hooking his finger under his wife's chin, Sam turned her face to look at him. "I love you so much Donna Carmichael." He whispered, leaning close to place a delicate kiss on her lips.

Reaching up, Donna trailed her hand down her husband's cheek. "I love you too honey." She responded, after slowly pulling away from his kiss. "And our little boy." She continued, quickly glancing down at the baby, as he jumped slightly at the sound of his mother's voice. "Don't you think we should name him?" She then asked, looking back into Sam's eyes.

"Well, we only had one name for a boy, that we both agreed on." Sam answered, smiling at his beautiful wife. "That's if you still like it."

As a sweet smile crept onto her face, Donna peered down at their son. "I do." She replied in a whisper, as not to startle her son again.

Reaching down and delicately stroking his baby son's dark hair, Sam kissed the side of Donna's head. "Welcome to the world…Max Carmichael." He said quietly, as his wife giggled softly and kissed his cheek.

***************

A.N. Wow, I'm exhausted lol… Hope you liked it hunnies? But please, please let me know. That was a difficult one to write and make sound realistic (I can't even begin to describe the pain, but hope it came across okay)… Love to you all, Liv x

P.s. Thanks for the reviews on my other story too, mwahs! That will be the next to get updated!


	12. Chapter 12 Good To Be Home?

N.B. HUGE mwahs for the reviews darlings! Next chapter's here, hope you enjoy it… Might have to push the story on a little soon, because I'm seriously running out of ideas and what I do have planned, is when baby Max is a bit older. For my Dynamos, love ya girls, mwahs and hugs x

**************

Chapter 12 Good To Be Home?

***********

After making all the relevant phone calls to friends and family, Sam had returned to the small hospital room, to check on his wife and new son. Donna was now fast asleep, after feeding Max and had him snuggled in her arms as he slept too. Quietly closing the door behind him, Sam smiled at the sight before his eyes and gently climbed up onto the bed beside Donna. She had done so well delivering their child and he couldn't have been prouder of her, when all he could do was imagine the pain his wife had gone through. Getting comfortable on the single bed, Sam pulled the sheets up around the sleeping pair and kissed the top of Donna's head, as she stirred slightly against his chest. It was now the early hours of the morning and Sam had nearly had to beg Sophie, to stop her coming straight over to the mainland to meet her new brother. She had been so excited when he'd called and so had Zack when he'd called him in New York. Sam had still not got hold of his eldest son and Zack had informed him that Ben had gone to Atlantic City with friends, unsure when he was supposed to be returning home. Although far from impressed with him, Sam had decided to put it to the back of his mind for now and not let his actions ruin the excitement of the birth of his gorgeous new son.

Donna's eyes slowly opened and she soon remembered where she was, as she found her baby asleep in the crook of her arm. "Have I been asleep long?" She asked a little groggily, peering up into her husband's eyes.

Shaking his head, Sam smiled at her. "No sweetheart, about an hour." He answered, tenderly kissing her forehead and stroking her cheek. "You look absolutely exhausted, you need to go back to sleep."

"I will." Whispered Donna, resting her head back against her husband's chest and smiling down at their newborn son. "Did you manage to get hold of the kids?" She asked, gently stroking Max's dark hair and pulling the sheet closer around him, so he didn't get cold with the air-conditioning.

"Yes, well two of them." Sam replied, watching how lovingly Donna fussed over the baby boy. "Sophie sends her love and says she'll see you first thing in the morning. Zack also sends his love and said he's glad it's a boy because he can't stand the stress that comes attached to having another sister." Added Sam, smiling as Donna giggled at their son's obvious referral to the Sky and Sophie situation.

Slowly looking back up at her husband, Donna frowned. "Have you still not spoken to Ben?" She asked, noticing a look of disappointment in his eyes when he peered down at her.

Shaking his head, Sam sighed. "No, but at least I know where he is now." He responded, shuffling further down into a more comfortable position and pulling his wife and child closer towards him. "Zack told me he's taken off the Atlantic City with friends, but he doesn't know when he's coming back. That kid has got some serious explaining to do when I finally get hold of him…I don't know what the hell he thinks he's playing at. But what I do know is, I won't let him throw years of education down the pan."

"Oh Sam." Whispered Donna, knowing how upset he was getting over it. "Maybe I should talk to him. You know you'll only end up losing it with him and I don't think Ben needs that right now. There's definitely something bothering him and I don't think shouting is going to help." She continued, sliding her hand round to the nape of his neck and guiding him closer to kiss his lips.

Responding to his wife's kiss and thinking about what she said for a few moments, Sam finally agreed to leave it to her. He was close to his sons, but ever since they had got to know Donna, they had seemed to confide in her more. Maybe it was the fact that they could never talk to their own mother when she had been alive and having Donna in their lives, had given them someone else to listen to their problems. Their was no denying she was fantastic with them and Sam loved the fact that he had someone else in his life, that loved his boys as much as he did. If anyone could get through to Ben and find out what was going on, it was definitely his wife.

"Let's not talk about it now darling. You need to sleep, before this little one needs his Mommy's attention." Sam said softly, closing his eyes and feeling Donna relax against him, as she too tried to get some sleep.

*********

Baby Max had been a good baby so far and actually let his parents sleep a further three hours, before he woke with his high-pitched cry. His little face screwed up, as he screamed and caused Sam to wake first. Sliding his son out of the arms of his wife, Sam smiled at the sight of his tears falling from his tiny eyes and placed him down on the end of the bed to change his diaper. Donna smiled as she came round to the sight of her husband, gently handling their son and talking to him in a quiet tone, soothing his crying to a small whimper.

"I hope you're going to keep this up when we get home." Donna said, slowly climbing out of bed and walking over to her husband's side, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Smiling as he finished changing his tiny son's diaper, Sam smiled down at him. "Of course I am Mrs. Carmichael. The only thing I can't do is the feeds…I'm good, but I'm not that good sweetheart." He answered, doing up the press-studs on the white baby-grow and scooping Max up in his strong arms. "This part's over to you."

Giggling, Donna sat down in the armchair and held her arms out to take her son. Sam passed him down to her and watched as she expertly undid the front of her nightdress and latched Max onto her breast, for a feed. It all looked so natural and Donna made it look so easy, when she hadn't actually done it for over twenty-one years. Pulling her legs up under her, Donna couldn't take her eyes of her baby boy, as he made soft, contented sucking noises. Sam leant down to give Donna a kiss, before leaning against the bed to just watch in utter adoration. Within a few minutes Max was full and sleepy, as Donna carried him over to the simple crib and laid him down. Making sure he was settled, she walked over to Sam and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Aren't you sad that they're not yours anymore?" Asked Donna, noticing her husband staring down the front of her undone nightdress.

Smiling and looking back up into his wife's eyes, Sam shook his head. "No, because it won't be forever darling." He answered, sliding his hands round her waist and leaning forward to kiss her lips.

Their peace and quite was soon disrupted, by the all too familiar sound of Tanya's heels clicking purposely down the corridor. Giggling, Donna buried her face into the crease of Sam's neck and braced herself ready for what she knew was about to happen. As if on cue, the door to the small hospital room flew open and Sam was confronted with the sight of the Dynamos excitedly rushing in. The two women stood and waited for Donna to raise her head to look at them, with a huge smile on her face.

"You just couldn't bloody wait for us could you Sheridan?" Said Rosie, walking over and throwing her arms around the Carmichael's. "Congratulations you two."

"Yeah, couldn't you have held on for a few more hours Donna?" Asked Tanya, she too walking over to give the happy couple a tight hug. "Maybe kept your legs together or something." She added, peering into the blonde's eyes and giving her a wink.

Laughing, Donna walked over to the crib, followed by her best friends and proudly showed off her new son. "If only it was that easy Tan." She said in almost a whisper, as not to wake the sleeping baby boy.

The three women stared down at the perfect little boy and Donna smiled as Rosie wiped away a few tears, as they trickled down her cheeks. They had all been friends for so many years and the Dynamos had somehow never imagined their friend would marry and have another child this late on in her life. Seeing Donna with Sam, made them realise just how happy she was and if she was, then they were too.

"Oh my god, he's a mini Sam." Exclaimed Rosie, taking in the baby's dark hair and features. "Not one bit of Sheridan in there."

"Poor kid." Tanya giggled, looking round at Sam poking her tongue out at him as he feigned a hurt expression.

Stroking Max's hair as he slept, Donna smiled and walked back over to her husband. "He's gorgeous, just like his daddy." She whispered, trailing her hands down Sam's chest and leaning in close to give him a kiss. "Did you see Sophie this morning?" She asked, turning her head to look at the Dynamos, who were still peering into the crib.

Tanya turned and made her way over to sit in the armchair. "Yes we did. She came over on the ferry with us, but said she had to go do something on her way here." She replied, pulling a compact out of her large Gucci purse and starting to touch up her already perfect makeup.

"Oh, okay." Donna responded, turning to grab a few things out of her bag. "Well I'm going to go shower. Can I trust you with my precious boy while I'm gone?" She asked, finding a towel and some clean clothes.

Throwing her head back and laughing, Tanya looked up at Donna. "Sure Sheridan, your husband's safe with us." She answered, causing everyone to start laughing at her quick reply.

*********

Sophie had turned up a short while later, with he gift of a small blue teddy bear, for her new brother and had instantly fallen in love with a now wide awake Max. He never murmured, as he was passed between members of his extended family and when Donna returned to the room, she felt almost overwhelmed at the sight of the people she loved the most, fussing over her newborn son. Sophie greeted her mother with the biggest smile and they both giggled as Tanya sat cradling Max in one arm, whilst pouring out a glass of champagne with her free hand. The room was crowded enough and got even more cramped, when Doctor Christou joined them. Everyone fell silent, as the doctor checked through Donna's notes and then baby Max's.

"Well, you both seem fit and well. I don't see why you can't go home." Said Doctor Christou, looking up at Donna and smiling, as she took the baby from Tanya.

Standing next to his wife, Sam wrapped his arm around her. "Thank you Doctor." He said, then smiling down at his baby boy in Donna's arms.

The Doctor signed off a few things and peered back at the Carmichael's. "There's just one thing, before I can let you go." He said, placing the files down on the end of the bed. "Contraception…I seriously advise that you start using it. Although this pregnancy went without any major problems, I would _strongly _advise against trying for anymore children."

Sam smiled, as he looked at his wife. "We understand." He responded, feeling Donna's body tense against his. "I think our family is now complete."

"Too right it is." Exclaimed Donna, smiling back at the doctor. "As far as I'm concerned, my husband won't be coming anywhere near me again like _that_…There's no better contraception, than no sex at all, right?" She finished, hearing her daughter and the Dynamos fighting hard to contain their fits of giggles.

Smirking, the doctor picked up the notes and walked towards the door. "Well you're right there… Good luck Mr. Carmichael." He replied, leaving the room, as the Dynamos peered up at Sam and finally bust out laughing at his shocked expression.

Donna bit her lip and managed to keep a straight face, as Sam turned her round to look at him. "You're joking aren't you?" He asked nervously, trying to ignore his daughter and wife's friends still laughing.

"Let's go home." Responded Donna, not wanting to have this conversation with her husband now, especially in front of their hysterical audience.

*************

The Carmichael's had been back home on Kalokairi for only a few weeks and things were as hectic as ever. There had been flower deliveries and phone calls from well wishers, but Donna just wanted to sleep. She was exhausted already, with Max just wanting to feed all the time since leaving the hospital. His persistent crying had began to wear her down and she found herself snapping at people, when they were only trying to help. Having barely an hour to rest before her newborn son woke her again, took it's toll on Donna. She couldn't eat and had nearly lost all of her pregnancy weight because of this and the constant breast feeding. Sam was worried about his wife and wondered how she was going to cope, if Max carried on the way he was. He felt somewhat useless, helping out where he could, but feeling as though Donna was pushing him away. They had been so happy when they had brought the baby home from the hospital, but now things weren't running so smoothly.

Half asleep, Sam ran his hand over the side of the bed, where his wife was supposed to be sleeping next to him. Not feeling her warm body there, he opened his eyes and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was just before four in the morning and peering round the dimly lit room, it was now obvious that his wife and child were not there. Yawning, Sam climbed out of bed to grab his robe and slid it on as he left the room. It didn't take him long to follow the light coming from the kitchen, round the corner from the courtyard and to find his wife. Donna was rocking a whimpering baby Max in her arms, whilst sipping on strong black coffee.

"Darling why didn't you wake me?" Asked Sam, walking over to his wife and taking his son out of her arms.

Rolling her eyes, Donna took a long sip of her hot drink. "What would have been the point? You can't feed him." She answered rather abruptly, slamming her coffee mug down on the worktop.

Placing the tiny baby against his chest, Sam gently rubbed his back. "Donna, why don't you go back to bed and I'll stay up with Max?" He asked, stepping closer to his wife and trying to wrap his arm around her shoulder.

Shrugging Sam off, Donna could feel hot salty tears welling in her tired eyes. "Go back to bed and do what? Sleep?" She quickly responded, pouring herself yet another cup of coffee. "What the hell's that?…It's only been a few weeks and I can't do this. I'm not cut out for this." She continued, as the tears started to roll down her cheeks.

Shaking his head, Sam held his son close with one arm and pulled Donna close to towards him with the other. "Of course you are sweetheart. You're just exhausted and not feeling your best." He replied, feeling her snaking her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest. "It will get easier, I promise." He finished, placing a tender kiss on the top of his wife's head.

"I can't remember it being this hard with Sophie." Donna said, opening her eyes to find her baby son peering at her, with such innocence in his dark green eyes. "He's just so hungry all the time." She added, reaching out to take hold of his little hand.

Thinking for a minute, Sam sighed, causing Donna to look up at him. "Look, I know it's not what you wanted, but how about we start giving Max mixed feeds?" He asked cautiously, not wanting his wife to get upset again. "At least if he's on formulae, you can get some sleep and I can feed him."

Instantly shaking her head, Donna dismissed the idea. "No Sam." She answered, staring into her husband's dark eyes. "I want what's best for our son and that's not it."

"Okay darling, you know best." Replied Sam, kissing Max's forehead and tightening his hold around Donna. "Now, you go to bed and I'll stay up with him until his next feed." He finished, letting go of her as she nodded and headed back to their bedroom.

Sitting down at the kitchen table, Sam held his baby son out in front of him and sighed. "You, are a little monkey Max Carmichael." He whispered, then placing him back against his chest and relaxing back in the chair.

Donna had made it fairly obvious, that she didn't want to put their son on baby formulae, but Sam thought it might just help Max go a bit longer between feeds. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, or maybe it was the baby blues, but one thing was for sure, Sam couldn't let her carry on like this. As he sat contemplating the repercussions, Sam decided to go against his wife's wishes and try giving Max a bottle for his next feed. Searching through the kitchen cupboard, it didn't take him long to find an unused tin of the powdered milk, left over from when Emma had been on it and a spare bottle in another cupboard. His wife wasn't going to be impressed, but if it meant her getting a proper sleep, he'd deal with the consequences later.

*********

Sitting bolt upright in bed, Donna was hit by the bright sunlight filtering in through one of the opening shutters. For some strange reason, she felt unbelievably rested and for a few seconds, she'd forgotten all about her baby son. It wasn't until she scanned the bedroom, that she found his crib empty at the foot of the bed and turned to glance at the time. It was nearly one in the afternoon, which meant she had slept a full eight hours, since Sam had found her in the kitchen and sent her back to bed. Donna knew there was no way Max had gone that long without a feed, which could only mean one thing. Her husband had gone behind her back and had bottle fed their tiny son.

As she got dressed, she was fuming. Donna couldn't believe her husband had done something like this, when he knew how important she thought it was to give their child the best start in life. It had only been two weeks and she hadn't been prepared to give up just yet, she was still trying to bond with their son. Clipping up her hair, Donna left the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

"Afternoon Donna. Sleep well love?" Asked Rosie, looking up from her work as she sat at one of the bar tables and noticed her friend approaching.

"Have you seen that husband of mine?" Donna responded, totally ignoring what Rosie had asked her and coming to a stop behind the chair opposite.

Nodding slowly, Rosie pointed across the courtyard. "I think he was with Sophie in the goat house." She answered, sensing all was not well and Donna was in a foul mood about something. "Are you alright?"

Walking away towards the goat house, Donna could feel her blood boil. "I'm fine." She responded over her shoulder, before quickening her pace.

Opening the door to the goat house, Donna soon found her husband. Sam was sat on the floor playing with Emma, whilst Sophie was laying Max down for a nap in the Moses-basket by the sofa. They both looked up and smiled at her, as she stood there silently. Sam instantly knew that his wife was on the warpath and slowly stood, stepping closer towards her.

"Do you feel better for a decent sleep darling?" Asked Sam, reaching out to stroke Donna's cheek, only to have her slap it out of the way.

Staring Sam straight in the eye, Donna slowly shook her head. "You went behind my back Sam, when I specifically told you that I didn't want to put Max on formulae." She replied in an icy tone, never breaking eye contact with him. "Why did you do that?"

Running his hand through his hair, Sam sighed. "I did it because you were getting yourself into a state Donna. You haven't slept for weeks, you're living on coffee and I'm worried about you…We all are sweetheart." He answered, gazing into Donna's green eyes and seeing the tears forming in them. "I didn't do it for any other reason, but to give you a break and allow you to get a good nights sleep."

"Well it seems you _all _have everything under control. I'm surplus to requirement…I only carried our son for nearly nine months." Said Donna sarcastically, her tone raised enough to make Max start crying. "Fine." She finished, opening the door and slamming it on her way out.

Sam turned to Sophie, who had remained out of the conversation and rolled his eyes, before following his wife out of the goat house. Donna had taken off in floods of tears, back to the sanctuary of her bedroom. She felt as though everything had spiralled out of her control and hated that people were making decisions for her, that she could make herself. Closing the door behind her, Donna took a deep breath, as her husband cautiously let himself in behind her. Wrapping his arms tightly around her slender waist, he didn't let her go as she sobbed loudly and tried to wriggle free from his hold.

"Get off me." Sobbed Donna, trying one last time to free herself.

Fighting her husband's strength was futile and Donna's weak body gave in, causing her to collapse against his masculine frame. She was shaking, unable to stop the loud sobs escaping her heaving chest. Sam slowly sank to the floor with her and stayed silent, until she had got everything out of her system. He held her tight, trying to fight back his own tears, at seeing his beautiful wife so upset. Within a few minutes, Sam heard Donna take a deep gasp of air into her lungs and her crying finally subsided. He had never seen her like this and it scared him to think the normally, relaxed, loving woman he'd married, was slowly slipping away from him.

Finally relaxing his body, Sam pulled Donna closer against him. "Come on sweetheart." He whispered, picking himself off the floor and scooping his wife up into his arms. "It's alright." He finished, laying her down on their bed and climbing on next to her.

Donna was unable to look at her husband and simply turned her back to him. Not one to give in easily, Sam moved up close behind her and snaked his arms around her trembling body. He didn't want to push his wife to talk, she would do that when she felt good and ready, but he wanted Donna to know that he was there for her no matter what. They had gone through so much together so far and nothing was going to come between them if he could help it. He loved Donna more than anything in the world and told himself, she couldn't stay mad at him forever.

************

Dinner time came and went, with everyone enjoying a meal in the courtyard, apart from Donna. She had fallen asleep on the bed and Sam had left her to rest, so he could go and check on their son. He was hoping, the more sleep his wife caught up on, the better she would feel in the long run. Sophie had been a great help with her baby brother and Emma had really taken to the tiny boy too.

Carrying Max up the stairs to her mother's room, Sophie opened the door quietly when she reached the top. Donna was still asleep, as her daughter climbed onto the bed next to her and placed Max between them. Feeling movement, Donna slowly opened her eyes and focused on her two gorgeous children, smiling softly at the sight of them. She did feel better in herself, but felt so bad for pushing her family away, especially her baby boy.

"He's missed you Mom." Sophie whispered, stroking a few strands of her mother's hair behind her ear. "We all have."

Taking hold of her daughter's hand, Donna kissed it tenderly. "I've missed you all too baby girl." She replied, looking down at her son, as he sucked hungrily on his tiny fingers.

Max looked so small and innocent, dressed in his plain white baby-grow and Donna knew for a fact he was hungry. Undoing the top of her dress, she pulled him close against her warm body and guided him to her breast for a feed. She and Sophie smiled as he suckled away, making soft swallowing noises as he did. Worried if Max was bottle fed, that she would lose the bond with her baby, Donna soon realised he still needed her just as much as before. Her husband had only been trying to help and all she had done was push him away, taking her tiredness out on him.

"Is your dad pissed at me?" Donna asked, holding baby Max close to her, as she peered up into her daughter's big blue eyes.

Smiling, Sophie shook her head. "Not at all. He's just worried about you Mom. I mean you haven't eaten in days and we've all seen, when he tries to hold you, you can't get away fast enough." She responded, watching her mother's smile slowly disappear.

Taking a deep breath, Donna peered down at her baby boy. "My attention has been other things and I guess he's feeling neglected." She said in almost a whisper, feeling emotional once more. "Can you do me a favour Soph?"

"Anything." Answered Sophie, smiling sweetly at her mom and stroking her brother's soft hair.

"Will you ask your dad to come up here? I think we need to talk." Asked Donna, gently rubbing her baby's back.

Nodding, Sophie gave her mom a kiss on the cheek and left the room in search of her father. Donna knew she was going to have to swallow her pride and admit to her husband that mixed feeding was definitely the answer to their problems. She also knew that she had been a nightmare to live with over the past few weeks and hoped her friends would somehow understand too. Praying things would improve in time, all Donna could do, was wait and see how things panned out between her and Sam. Married life had thrown up all sorts of obstacles for them to get past, but this could quite possibly be the biggest one of all.

************

A.N. Like I said, gonna push it on a bit soon…Got a bit of drama planned if I can get rid of the bloody writers block grrr… Hope it was okay all, but please let me know. Loads of Love, Liv x… Next chapter will be on the other story, Love Knows No Boundaries x


	13. Chapter 13 Alone Time

N.B. Mwahs for the reviews and comments guys, they mean sooooo much to me right now! Sorry to have to do it so soon, but I'm pushing the story along now (running out of ideas peeps arghhh)…As always, for my Dynamos, love ya girls! X

**************

Chapter 13 Alone Time

**************

_The early months of raising a baby, had proved a strain on the Carmichael's and their marriage. Petty arguments and small conflicts of ideas for their son's upbringing, had lead to the couple falling out more than ever. Sam had been worried about his wife, not only with her quick weight-loss after giving birth, but with how easily stressed she got over minor things. They seemed to be slowly drifting apart, with Sam working hard on a few big jobs for his New York office and Donna taking care of Max, whilst still managing to run the hotel. On top of everything else, the Carmichael's had been worried about their eldest son too. Finally calling, Ben had poured his heart out to Donna over the phone and explained how he was struggling to come to terms with not only losing his mother, but his relationship ending with his girlfriend. They had spent hours talking, with an emotional Donna finally making Ben promise that he'd go see a therapist, to help him work through his problems. Sam had been somewhat relieved that everything was out in the open and wasted no time, in organising for his son to see one of the top doctors in the city. Being so far away from his two boys, still played on Sam's mind and he hoped that when they both finished college, he'd be able to spend more time with them…_

Placing a ten month old Max in his highchair at the table, Donna leant down to place a delicate kiss on top of his head. She smiled at his constant babbling and took a seat next to him, passing him his dinner. Glancing at the clock behind the bar, Donna realised she would have to start getting ready soon, for her date with her husband. For the past month, Sam had been extremely busy with work and they had hardly spent any time together, just the two of them. Nights were often spent falling straight to sleep, with Donna being the main one to be getting up and seeing to their son, if he cried for attention from the nursery. It was tiring and because of this, she couldn't even remember the last time she and Sam had really made love. Yes, they'd had rushed sex, but only a few times since Max's birth and it had all been over quickly, as soon as they'd heard their son's whimpering on the baby monitor. To say Sam was frustrated, was an understatement. He missed his wife and he missed the intimate side of their relationship, that had played a major part in their married life from the very beginning.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Asked Tanya, walking across the courtyard from the beach steps. "You're supposed to be meeting Sam in a few hours aren't you?" She added, taking a seat on the other side of Max and poking her tongue out at him, as he blew a raspberry at her.

Rolling her eyes at her friend, Donna passed her baby son his juice. "Yes, I'll get ready once I've given Max a bath." She replied, watching her gorgeous little boy banging his cup on the highchair, whilst giving her a flash of his two new bottom teeth. "Now are you sure you and Rosie will be okay looking after him tonight? If it's going to be too much, I can cancel."

Slowly shaking her head, Tanya leant forward and ruffled Max's dark hair. "You will do no such thing Sheridan. Rosie and I are his godmothers, we're more than capable of watching him." She answered, relaxing back in her chair and peering at Donna's worried expression. "You already cancelled a meal with Sam a few days ago because you said Max was restless…Have you ever thought…" She trailed off, standing up and walking over to the bar.

"Thought what?" Donna asked, narrowing her green eyes at the Dynamo, as she watched her grab a chilled bottle of wine and two glasses.

Walking back over to the table, Tanya sat down and opened the bottle. She was thinking, obviously choosing her words, as to not upset her best friend. Pouring out two large glasses of the pale liquid, Tanya passed one to Donna and smiled. The blonde was still staring at her, as Max ate his food with his fingers and kept himself amused with the mess he was making.

"What Tanya? Have I ever thought what?" Donna asked again, picking up her glass and taking a quick sip, as her eyes remained firmly on the brunette.

Sighing, Tanya then took a long sip of her own drink. "Have you ever thought that you might be neglecting your husband?" She asked, placing her glass back down on the table in front of her and staring back across at her friend. "I mean…The past few months, we've hardly seen you together and when we do, you usually end up arguing with one another."

Donna closed her eyes for a few seconds and shook her head. "It's been hard. Sam's working hard on his projects and I've been rushed off my feet with this little one." She replied, gazing round at Max and smiling lovingly at his cheeky Carmichael grin. "As well as keeping this place ticking over."

"I know all that Don, but…Are you and Sam alright?" Tanya asked in a soft tone, tilting her head to one side as Donna looked back at her.

Reaching for her wine once more, Donna could feel herself getting upset. "I suppose so." She answered in almost a whisper, before chugging back the contents of the glass. "It's just…I don't know." She continued, staring down at the table, as though deep in though for a moment. "I love Sam with all my heart, but I feel like since Max came along, things have changed between us." She finished, finally looking back up at Tanya with tears in her eyes.

Tanya reached across the table to refill her friends glass. "Changed?" She asked simply, before placing the bottle back down and frowning at her friend.

"Yes…Ever since getting married, we could hardly keep our hands off each other. Now, it's not the same. Max comes first and by the time we get to bed, sex is the last thing on my mind." Responded Donna, picking up a napkin and wiping her baby boy's messy face. "I know we should be making time for one another, but it's difficult…I know Sam's suffering…" She added, not wanting to carry on, in fear of bursting out crying if she did.

"Oh honey." Whispered Tanya, reaching across the table and taking Donna's hand in hers. "Things will be back on track soon enough. I know it will." She finished, giving the blonde's hand a reassuring squeeze.

Looking up at her backup girl, Donna forced a smile. "I'm sure it will." She said, picking up her wine glass and taking another long swig of the cold contents.

************

After taking a bath with her baby boy, Donna wrapped a towel around him and laid him on her bed. Max was sleepy, as his mother gently dried his little body and put a clean diaper on him. She smiled sweetly at her baby, as she dressed him in his pale blue all-in-one, placing light kisses on his soft body, before closing each press-stud. He reached out for Donna, playfully tugging on her wet hair and chuckled, when she tickled his tummy in return. Scooping Max up in her arms, Donna then cuddled up on her bed with him and fed him his evening bottle. She gazed down at him, gently stroking his cheek as he sucked lazily on the teat, taking a while to finish his feed. It wasn't too long before Max had fallen asleep in his mother's arms and Donna spent a few quiet minutes holding him close…_He had started out as quite a demanding baby, but now he was just as laid back as Sophie had been at his age. It was true, with his dark hair and adorable smile, Max was the double of his father. Already a hit with the ladies, Max's gorgeous features and his mother's ocean green eyes, always melted the hearts of women who fussed over him, whilst on trips to the mainland with his family. Like with his father and older brothers, there was no doubt Max was going to inherit the Carmichael charm_ _and probably break a few hearts with it when he was older. _

Wrapping her towel tighter around herself, Donna carried a sleeping Max down to his nursery. Kissing his forehead, she carefully placed him down in his crib and pulled the blankets up around him. Making sure he was definitely sleeping peacefully, Donna turned on the baby monitor, sitting on the shelf above the crib and made her way out of the cosy nursery.

"Sleep well little man." Whispered Donna, turning off the light and quietly closing the door behind her.

Returning to her bedroom upstairs, Donna made sure the baby monitor was on in her room and then rushed to get ready, so she wouldn't be late for meeting her husband on the mainland. Quickly going over her hair with the hair dryer, Donna loosely clipped it up and applied her makeup. She hadn't been out for dinner, since everyone had gone to Valentina's to celebrate Max's birth and as it was now a rare treat, she wanted to make an extra effort. Applying some dark eye-shadow and a few coats of black mascara, Donna smiled to herself, as the look reminded her of the night she and the Dynamos performed for Sophie's hen party, minus the long false eyelashes. Adding a light covering of shimmering pale lip-gloss, Donna was happy with the look and made her way over to the wardrobe, to find something to wear. Since her weight loss, she was skinnier than before she fell pregnant with her son and she was worried that she wouldn't find anything suitable. Donna searched through the rails and came across the simple black Prada dress, Sam had bought her on their honeymoon and pulled it off the padded hanger. Finding some black underwear, she was soon dressed and stood in front of the full-length mirror, as she stepped into her high black Louboutin heels. The dress looked perfect, clinging to her slender body in all the right places and accentuating her still more than ample, post pregnancy breasts.

"Not bad Sheridan." Donna said under her breath, before giving herself a quick spay of perfume and picking up her small clutch bag from the dressing table.

Finally grabbing a black shawl and the baby monitor, Donna left the room to make her way to the courtyard bar. Walking down the steps of the reception and out into the courtyard, it wasn't too long before the Dynamos and Sophie stopped chatting and turned round, at the sound of heels clicking on the stone floor. Sophie's mouth fell open, at the sight of her mother all dressed up and looking amazing. She hadn't seen her looking so well in ages and slowly shook her head as she approached.

Rosie wolf whistled and held a glass of champagne out for her friend as she reached them. "Looking hot Don." She said, smiling as Donna took the glass from her and took a quick sip.

"Oh my god Mom, you look amazing." Sophie said, looking her mother's outfit up and down. "Wow."

"You on a promise Sheridan?" Asked Tanya, looking her up and down too and smirking. "With a dress like that and 'fuck me' heels, Honey I'd say the chances of getting laid tonight, stands at one hundred percent." She added, causing Rosie and Sophie to burst out laughing at her.

Shaking her head at the laughing trio, Donna glanced at the clock behind the bar and downed the rest of her drink. "Well, I better get going." She said, handing Rosie her now empty glass. "There you go, double trouble." She continued, placing the baby monitor down on the bar, next to the one Sophie had for Emma. "Now please look after my baby… And…"

"Relax Donna." Said Rosie, cutting her friend short, before she could start worrying about if they were capable of watching the baby. "We have the monitor on full volume. Sam's cell phone number in case of emergencies and a direct line to Batman, if one of us needs rescuing."

"Very funny." Responded Donna, wrapping her arm around Sophie's shoulder. "Night baby girl…Watch them for me." She whispered, then kissing her daughter's forehead and smiling at her two best friends.

***********

Stepping off the ferry, onto the mainland, Donna breathed in the sweet night air and draped her black shawl around her arms. It was only a short walk, to the quiet local restaurant where she was meeting her husband for dinner and making her way along the dock, Donna smiled at the whistles she was getting from a few younger guys sat outside a bar. She ignored them, turning into a narrow cobbled street and walking to the door of Le Grillade, before pushing it open. The restaurant was fairly quiet and as Donna removed her shawl, she quickly spotted her waiting husband. Sam had immediately noticed his wife enter the restaurant and stood to greet her with a smile.

"You look unbelievable Donna." Said Sam, leaning forward to place a tender kiss on Donna's lips, before pulling a chair out for her next to him. "Did Max settle alright?" He then asked, pushing her seat in and sitting down next to her.

Nodding, Donna smiled as Sam poured her a glass of champagne. "He was out like a light after his last bottle." She answered, taking the glass from him and sipping the bubbly liquid.

"I missed you both today." Said Sam, placing his hand on his wife's leg, under the table. "I wish I didn't have to go back to New York for the weekend."

Donna smiled softly, picking up the menu and peering at it. "I don't know what I fancy." She said, completely ignoring what her husband had just said.

Sam could sense his wife's distance and it saddened him to think she wasn't her old self. He loved her unconditionally, but lately, he felt as though she was holding back and not sharing her problems with him. Helping out with Max when he could, Sam knew it wasn't always easy raising the small tot, but when he smiled up at him, it somehow erased all the stress. Not only was Donna looking after their son's every need, but she was still running the hotel as well and not taken on any additional help, when she should have. With Sam leaving for New York in the morning, he had wanted to spend some alone time with his wife and try to work through a few of their problems.

It wasn't long before a waiter approached the small table and took the Carmichael's order. Waiting for him to walk away, Sam turned his attention back to Donna and took her hand in his. She turned her head to face him, gazing deep into his gorgeous blue eyes and seeing a mix of love and worry within them. Since Sam had announced that he had to return to the USA for a few days, Donna had been doing some thinking and had an idea. She did love Sam, as she had told Tanya earlier, but she knew they couldn't keep going on the way they were and one of them would have to make the first move.

"Have you thought about what I suggested?" Sam asked, before Donna had chance to start speaking first. "I really think a nanny would be a good idea for Max." He added, still holding onto her hand and reaching for his champagne flute with the other.

Sighing, Donna shook her head at him. "I have thought about it, but I still don't want one. I didn't have our child so someone else could raise him." She answered, then taking a sip of her own drink.

"It's not about someone else raising him darling. It's about you having a break every now and again." Responded Sam, peering back in his wife's stunning green eyes. "You're running yourself into the ground Donna and I can't remember the last time we had any time on our own."

Feeling the tears forming in her eyes, Donna took a deep breath. "All I do is try my best Sam and I'm sorry if you feel that I've neglected you." She said in a quiet tone, breaking eye contact with him and staring down at the table. "I'm a terrible wife."

Shaking his head, Sam moved closer to Donna and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "No you're not sweetheart. Don't ever say that." He replied, waiting for her to turn to face him once more and plant a soft kiss on her lips.

Even though Sam had said she wasn't, Donna did feel like a bad wife. He was a kind, loving man and he deserved so much more than what she could offer him right now. Not allowing herself to cry, Donna sipped on her champagne and tried to clear her thoughts, at least until the meal had finished. She had something she wanted to suggest to her husband, but here was not the time or the place and so she decided to wait until they had returned to the villa, to the privacy of their room.

**********

The meal had been lovely and the Carmichael's had actually enjoyed spending some much needed alone time together. Arriving back at the entrance of the hotel, Sam helped his slightly tipsy wife out of her beloved blue jeep and held her hand tightly, as they slowly walked up the rocky steps. The things playing on Donna's mind, were now swirling round and she knew she had to tell Sam about them as soon as possible, before she went crazy. She knew he wasn't going to like what she had to say, but in the long run, she hoped it would sort out their problems.

Reaching the courtyard, the couple weren't surprised to find the Dynamos still sat at a table by the bar, but they were surprised to find their son asleep in Rosie's arms. Walking over, Donna let go of her husband's hand and instantly took Max from her friend, kissing him softly on the head. He was snuggled in a warm blanket and stirred slightly as his mother held him close, inhaling his sweet baby scent.

"Did you two have a nice meal?" Rosie Asked, looking up at her best friend and smiling.

"Very nice thank you." Replied Donna, gently rocking her baby son. "Did Max play up for you?" She asked, watching as Sam walked behind the bar, to get himself a nightcap.

Shaking her head slowly, Tanya smiled at the blonde. "Not really. He just woke up and wanted his Mommy I guess." She answered, pouring out a large cocktail from a jug Pepper had mixed for them.

Laughing, Rosie helped herself to some too. "Yeah and all he got was us…No seriously Donna, he was fine. He went straight back to sleep when I rocked him."

"Well thanks girls." Donna said, smiling at her best friends and then down at her baby boy. "I think I'll get him back to bed." She finished, blowing them both a kiss and turning to walk away.

Placing his glass down on the bar, Sam winked at the Dynamos and followed his wife, picking up the baby monitor as he passed the table. He hadn't seen Max since first thing that morning, when he'd woken his parents with his shrill crying from the nursery_… Ever since their baby had been old enough to sleep in his own room, the Carmichael's had made a point, of making sure they both checked in on him. Sometimes they would stand for ages, just staring down at the little boy they had made together and daydream about what the future held for them and Max…_ Walking into the nursery, behind his wife and child, Sam watched Donna place Max into the crib and tuck him in. He moved up close behind her and rested his head on her shoulder, as the both stared down at the sleeping baby.

"Let's go to bed." Whispered Sam, gently trailing his hand down Donna's side and taking her hand.

Leaning down to place a delicate kiss on Max's head, Donna allowed Sam to lead her out of the nursery and up to their bedroom. She was tense, knowing what her husband had in mind and knowing the evening probably wasn't going to end as well as he'd planned. Entering the room, Sam closed the door behind him and immediately snaked his arms around Donna's waist, as she turned to face him. Smiling at her, he leaned in close to kiss her lips, but Donna pulled away. Sam could tell there was something on her mind and now he was worried, wondering whatever could be the matter with her.

"Sam, we need to talk." Said Donna, bending down to pull off her heels. "Or rather I want to talk and I need you to listen." She added, straightening up and instantly meeting her husband's gaze.

"Okay, I'm listening." Replied Sam, placing his hands in his pockets and resting back against the dressing table.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Donna peered down at the floor. "I know you are only supposed to be staying in New York for the weekend, but…I think you should stay there a bit longer." She said quietly, still not wanting to make eye contact with her husband.

Shaking his head, Sam was confused. "What do you mean?" He asked, staring down at Donna, as she toyed nervously with her wedding rings.

"I think you should spend some time with the boys, especially Ben." Donna answered, now looking at the diamond solitaire glistening on her finger. "He needs you right now and I think it will do us some good to spend some time apart." She continued, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes and not wanting to look up at Sam.

Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing coming from his wife's mouth. He was confused and didn't know what she was actually suggesting he should do. It did make sense that he should be there for his eldest son, in his hour of need, but it was the last part that he couldn't comprehend. Feeling his heart sinking in his chest, Sam straightened up and stared down at his wife.

"Donna, please look at me." Sam pleaded, as he noticed a few tears falling from her eyes. "Are you saying that you want us to separate?"

Slowly raising her head, Donna took a small breath of air to compose herself. "Don't look at it as a separation Sam…Look at it as time to take stock of what we had and where we went wrong." She said, quickly wiping her tears and staring into his eyes. "I feel like the past few months, we've grown apart and if we don't do something to change it now then…We won't be able to fix the damage."

Donna noticed her husband's expression turn from one of confusion, to one of hurt. She could see it in his eyes, as he took everything in. It wasn't a decision she'd come to and taken lightly, but it was something she hoped would bring them closer together in the end. Maybe Sam didn't think it was such a good idea now, but Donna reassured herself that he'd get used to the idea and see it through. This had been on her mind ever since he had told her he was going to have to go back to New York on business, but she had kept it to herself, not even telling her best friends.

"So how long am I expected to leave you and our children for?" Asked Sam, now pacing the room in front of his wife and fighting back his tears. "A few more days, weeks, what?" He finished, coming to a sudden stop a few inches from her.

Standing up, Donna reached out to wipe away her husband's hot tears, as they escaped his eyes. "I thought until Max's birthday." She responded in a soft tone, before wiping her own flowing tears.

Sam shook his head and stared at Donna in disbelief. "That's two months away Donna. I can't do that." He answered, his voice breaking with emotion. "I can't do it…I love you too much."

"My god, I love you too Sam. That's why we _have_ to do this." Donna responded, reaching down to take hold of his hand. "Since Max was born, we have done nothing but argue with each other and I can't do it anymore, I really can't. We'll just end up resenting one another and that'll be the end."

Slowly nodding, Sam took in what his wife was saying. "And you really think this is the only way?" He asked, entwining his fingers through hers and staring deep into her watery eyes. "I'm serious Donna, I don't think I can leave you all for that long."

"If you can't do it for us, then do it for Sophie and Max." Said Donna, wiping Sam's tears once more. "They don't deserve to hear us at war all the time. Okay, so Soph's old enough to understand, but the baby…Do you really want him growing up thinking it's normal for his Mommy and Daddy to be acting like that?"

Wiping his tears, Sam couldn't answer her. He knew in his heart what she was saying made sense, but it still cut deep thinking about spending two months apart from her and two of his children. Their relationship had all gone wrong and Sam didn't know why. They had always been so in love, so happy and now, that happiness had appeared to have slipped away.

Tenderly cupping Sam's tear soaked face in her hands, Donna moved close against him. "They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder." She whispered, slowly placing her lips on his.

Sam didn't respond to his wife's kiss, he just stood there rigid to the spot. He was still trying to digest everything she had said and wonder how he was going to get through the next few months in New York without her. Donna pulled away from Sam and reached behind her back to unzip her black dress, letting it fall to a dark pool around their feet. Peering down at her near naked body, Sam took in every last detail of her small frame and remained silent as she moved close to him again. Placing her hands on her husband's broad chest, Donna leant closer to brush her lips against his. This time, Sam responded fully to her and trailed his hands delicately down her back. With their kisses slow and tender, Donna started to undo Sam's shirt buttons, one by one. Slipping the shirt off over his shoulders, she allowed her fingertips to run down his arms, causing him to flinch slightly at her touch.

"It's been too long." Whispered Sam in between kisses, when he felt his wife unbuckling his belt. "The last time we made real love, was just before Max was born."

Breaking from their kiss, Donna placed her finger to Sam's lips. "Shhh, don't say anything…Just make love to me." She whispered, with tears still slowly trickling down her cheeks.

Pulling his wife close, Sam wasted no time getting her out of her slinky black underwear, allowing his hands to explore her soft body as he did. Donna was the same, easing Sam's trousers down, along with his boxers and resuming their slow kisses. Walking her back to the bed, Sam laid his wife down before him and climbed on, positioning himself between her legs. He rested there on his elbows, gently stroking the loose strands of hair away from Donna's face and staring deep into her tear filled eyes.

"Where did we go wrong?" Whispered Sam, not taking his eyes off his wife's beautiful face and feeling her trailing her hands down his sides.

"I don't know." Donna whispered, as Sam leant his head closer and kissed her lips as soft as he could.

They took things slow, savouring every second of their last night together. With hands exploring one another, Sam took it to the next level when his wife parted her legs beneath him, giving him permission to guide himself inside her warmth. He broke from their kiss, to gaze into Donna's eyes as he did, watching her gasp at his tenderness. Setting the pace, rhythmic and controlled, their mouths found one another's once more. Continuing like this for what seemed like hours, neither of them were in a rush to reach their climax too soon. It was tender, romantic and the perfect way for them to show each other they still cared and wanted their marriage to work.

Donna could feel the stirrings of her orgasm mounting and normally at this point during lovemaking, the pair of them would be vocal, urging the other on. Not this time. As Donna reached her climaxed, Sam felt her tight womanhood tense and contract around his throbbing length and she grabbed hold of his rear to push him deeper into her. He was right there with her, giving a few more slow, yet powerful deep thrusts as he came. Coming to a stop, Sam gazed into his wife's eyes and realised she was silently crying, the tears falling from her eyes onto the pillow bellow.

"I love you." Whispered Sam, carefully withdrawing from her and rolling to lay at her side, as he pulled the sheets around their naked bodies.

Turning onto her other side, Donna felt her husband moving up close behind her. "I love you too." She whispered, closing her eyes and wishing her heart didn't feel so heavy.

*************

A.N. Thanks for reading guys…Did you see that coming? Lol… To find out what happens next in the world of Carmichael, you know what you have to do… Press it! Lol… Loads of love, Liv x


	14. Chapter 14 Parted

N.B. HUGE, HUGE thank you for all your wonderful reviews hunnies! You guys rock! As always, for my Dynamos, love ya girls…Mwah!

****************

Chapter 14 Parted

****************

The morning Sam left Kalokairi, had been hard for both him and Donna. She had awoken early after a restless nights sleep and found her husband sat in the chair in the corner of the room. Sam had been feeding their baby son his morning bottle and blinking her eye's open, Donna had just laid silently watching them. Her heart had been torn in two, wanting her husband to go and spend time in New York with the boys, but knowing he would be hurting inside, not seeing Max everyday… _So much had happened in their two years together and although they had been happy for most of it, Donna felt like a real failure as a wife. The real problems had started when their son had been born and Donna was struggling, but trying to hide the fact. It didn't take a genius to know she was in trouble; the rapid weight loss, snapping at everyone who tried to lend a hand and breaking down crying at a drop of a hat. It wasn't the normal cheerful Donna that Sam was used to and unfortunately, he had been the one to bare the brunt of her erratic mood swings. Discussing it in private with his wife's best friends, Sam had come to the conclusion that Donna may have been suffering from postnatal depression and he had even brought it up with her one night. Donna snapped at his prognosis, flying into a rage and then into floods of tears. She had flatly refused medical help, insisting she was fine and it was just her hormones that hadn't settled down yet._

Donna had helped her husband to pack for his trip, as Max crawled around the room and explored excitedly, oblivious to what was happening. She had stayed strong, reassuring herself that Sam's leaving was for the best and that if their marriage was going to survive, they would both have see it through. It hopefully would make them realise, just how much they loved and needed one another, confirming that what they had was everlasting. Deciding not to tell Sophie, Sam had kissed her and Emma goodbye, fighting back his emotions, as not to cry. Collecting his bags from the bedroom, he had then stood motionless in front of his wife and simply stared into her tear filled green eyes. Donna was trembling, holding tight onto their baby boy and felt her heart slowly sinking in her chest. The last thing Sam had said, was that he loved her and their children, before he tenderly kissed them both and left. She watched him from the balcony, slowly walking away across the courtyard and then disappearing out of sight, taking a piece of her heart with him. For the rest of the day and the sleepless night to follow, Donna couldn't get the visions of her husband's sad face, out of her head.

***********

Walking into the reception of the hotel, Sophie waited patiently for her mother to finish her phone call and sat down on the bottom step. It was just after lunchtime and yet again Donna had skipped eating with her daughter and friends, so she get on with paperwork whilst Max was napping. Since her husband had left Greece three weeks ago, Donna had thrown herself even deeper into running the hotel and spending time with her precious kids. She had so far managed to fob Sophie off about Sam's extended business trip and reassured her that he was just busy on a big project. Something had been niggling at Sophie, something wasn't quite right with her mother and she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Peering at Sophie over the top of her reading glasses, Donna smiled at her. "Hey darling, what's up?" She asked after ending her call and replacing the receiver. "Is Emma sleeping?"

Shaking her head, Sophie smiled. "No, the Dynamos have taken her down to the beach with them." She replied, tucking a lose strand of her golden hair behind her ear. "We missed you at lunch." She added, peering at her mother as she took a few files out of her desk drawer.

"I know sweetheart, but I thought I might as well get some of this paperwork out of the way, whilst your brother's sleeping." Answered Donna, retrieving her cheque book from the drawer too. "Funnily enough, Max and my desk is not a good mix." She continued, glancing up at her daughter and smiling before going through the invoices to be paid. "Did you want me for anything in particular baby girl?"

Playing with one of her blonde curls, Sophie chewed nervously on her lip. "I erm…I wondered if we could talk about something." She answered, waiting for her mother to make eye contact with her.

Slowly raising her head, Donna took off her glasses and placed them down on the desk in front of her. She knew exactly why her daughter wanted to talk, because she had been trying to avoid going into details so many times and Sophie just wouldn't drop it. Donna had known Sophie was going to keep asking questions, until she finally got the answers she wanted. At this precise moment in time, even Donna didn't know what was going on in her life, or what her future held.

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?" Donna asked, her tone low and calm, as she folded her arms in front of her on the desk.

Sophie sighed and stared down at the ground. "You and Dad." She responded quietly, before looking back up at her mom with a worried expression.

Running the tip of her tongue over her lower lip, Donna gazed back at her daughter. "What do you want to know Sophie?" She asked, not wanting to have to go into too much detail if she didn't have to.

"Why isn't Dad here? What's happened between you two?" Sophie asked with tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Shaking her head, Donna tried to force a smile. "Nothing's happened darling. It's just…" She answered, cutting short and choosing her words carefully before she spoke again. "Your father is spending some time with the boys. As you know, Ben's been in a bad way and we thought it might be best for someone to be there for him."

Nodding, Sophie kept her gaze firmly locked on her mother. "But that's not all is it?" She said quietly, seeing Donna sigh heavily.

"I guess not." Donna replied in barely a whisper, peering down at the wedding rings on her finger. "Look honey, your Dad and I have a few issues that we're working on, but it's really nothing for you to be worrying about, okay?" She finished, looking back up at her daughter and trying to smile.

"No it's not okay Mom." Answered Sophie shaking her head. "Dad's been gone for three weeks and you're acting like it's normal for you to be apart…So when is he coming back?" She asked, ignoring a stray tear, as it trickled down her cheek.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Donna sighed. "For Max's birthday." She responded, before looking back at her daughter.

Sophie buried her face in her hands. "Oh my god Mom, that's over a month away and it's Christmas next week. What's happened that's so bad, that he can't be here for the holidays?" She asked, finally looking up at Donna and wiping her tears.

Being an intelligent woman, like her mother, Sophie knew whatever her parents were going through, it must be bad if Sam wasn't even coming back to spend Christmas with them. She also knew it was probably something to do with the way her mother had been acting since the birth of her baby brother. Donna had been short tempered and always springing on the defensive whenever someone offered her help with something, making everyone pretty scared of her. She wasn't herself and Sophie had really hoped that things would improve and she could get her old easygoing mom back. Looking at her face now, confirmed that she wasn't quite there yet.

"Sophie there are some things, that I'm just not prepared to discuss with you." Donna said, picking up her reading glasses and sliding them on. "Now if you don't mind darling, I've got to get these bills paid." She added, turning her attention back to the invoices on the desk in front of her.

Standing up from her seat on the step, Sophie took a deep breath. "Why are you treating me like a child Mom?" She asked, placing her hand on the banister and staring at Donna. "It's no wonder Dad's staying away, when you're always in a bad mood like this."

Donna instantly looked up at her daughter. "Sophie, don't you dare talk to me like that." She said in a raised voice, taking her daughter by surprise. "I know you're not a child, but like I said, there are some things that are between your father and I…No one else."

"Well that's just great. I'm without a father for twenty years and then when I finally find out who he is, you…run him out of the country." Sophie snapped, staring intensely into her mother's eyes.

Standing up, Donna took off her glasses once more and threw them onto her desk. "That's enough Sophie." She hissed, staring back at her daughter. "Do you really think I'm enjoying being alone bringing up a baby? I've done that before remember and it was difficult enough in my twenties?"

Nodding, Sophie tucked her hair behind her ears. "Yeah and that was your fault too." She sniped back, with tears rolling down her face.

Donna stood there in total disbelief, that her daughter was acting like this with her. Yes she may have been upset with the fact her father was away, but until she knew the full extent of the Carmichael's problems, Donna felt that Sophie shouldn't be judging her like this. She was so close to just breaking down and letting everything out, but she managed to hold herself together for everyone's sake. Taking a deep breath, Donna straightened up and stared back at her daughter.

"Sophie Sheridan, you might be an adult, but I am your mother. Now have some respect young lady." Said Donna in her low, authoritative tone, as she walked round from behind her desk and started to climb the stairs to her bedroom.

Watching her mother reach the landing at the top of the stairs, Sophie turned and stormed out of the reception. Donna was shaking as she threw herself down on the bed and began to cry into her absent husband's pillow. All she had done, was try to save her marriage and now not only did her daughter hate her, but Sam probably did too…_The Carmichael's, had only spoken on the phone a few times since the separation and even those calls had felt a bit strained. Even though Sam had called everyday, Donna had sometimes missed them, or avoided them to spare herself further heartache when she heard his voice. When they did speak, Sam would instantly ask how Max and Sophie were doing, before asking his wife how she was. He had told her, that he was extremely busy at the office and that James was actually glad to have him back onboard for the time being. Ben and Zack were enjoying their time spent with their father and Ben was coping a lot better after seeing a therapist for a while. Their calls were usually cut short, by Max demanding his mother's attention and Donna left feeling terrible for not talking more to her husband, when he obviously had things to say…_

Laying all alone on her bed, Donna wiped her hot tears and pulled Sam's pillow close to her chest. After everything that had happened, she really didn't need grief off her daughter too. Things couldn't stay as they were, that was for sure and as Donna rolled onto her side, her gaze fell upon a framed photograph on the nightstand. Peering at the picture, of her and Sam kissing passionately, her heart sank slowly to the pit of her stomach. They had been so happy back then, so in love and now they were living separate lives, thousands of miles apart…_It's all my fault Sam's hurting_, Donna thought to herself as she closed her stinging eyes, to stop the free-flowing tears…_He deserves to be happy. He deserves a wife that can give him her all. Not me… _Slowly opening her eyes again, reality hit Donna in an instant. It was her that was the problem in the relationship, not her husband. She had been the one snapping at everyone and the one holding back from Sam. Donna had pushed Sam away too many times, that she couldn't understand why he hadn't left her months ago, of his own accord. She didn't care about herself, all she was bothered about was the future of her husband and the life ahead of him…There was only one thing she could do to insure this. Donna had come to a decision and she wanted to act upon it straight away, knowing that once she did, there was no going back.

Scraping herself off the bed, Donna fixed her makeup and got changed into something more formal. She then left the room, grabbing the baby monitor from her desk and headed off to find the Dynamos. They had looked suspiciously at her, when she found them at the beach bar, watching Emma playing in the sand close by. Making up an excuse about a meeting on the mainland, she left her best friends with the baby monitor and a promise she wouldn't be too long.

***************

Nearly three hours had ticked by and the Dynamos were now in charge of both babies, as Sophie had gone for a lay down nursing a headache. The two women sat a table and enjoyed a well earned glass of wine, as they watched Max crawling round after a toddling Emma. The sun was shining high in the sky and the Dynamos were discussing Christmas and how their best friend was going to get through it without her husband there. They both shut up and smiled, as Donna came down the stone steps, walking over to them.

"How was your meeting?" Asked Rosie, standing up to grab a glass for Donna from behind the bar.

Tanya peered up at Donna over the top of her Gucci sunglasses and instantly noticed by her red rimmed eyes, that she had been crying. Taking a seat opposite the brunette, Donna smiled sweetly as her baby boy crawled over to her and pulled himself up her leg. Just looking at Max, made her think she was staring at her husband and the pain in her heart intensified greatly. She loved Sam, but things had changed between them and at least she would always have a reminder of how great they'd been together, when she looked at their son.

"The meeting went okay." Donna replied quietly, picking her son up and placing him on her lap, as Rosie sat back down.

Glancing at Rosie, as she poured their friend a glass of chilled wine, Tanya looked back at Donna and frowned. "Who was it with?" She asked, taking a slow sip of her own drink and noticing her lost in thought as she held Max close.

"What?" Asked Donna, after placing a tender kiss on her son's head and looking up at her friends.

The Dynamos were now staring suspiciously at Donna and she was beginning to feel uncomfortable. She was cuddling a wriggling Max and had her hand resting on an important looking file, she'd placed on the table when she arrived. Knowing that she'd have to tell her friends sooner or later, Donna took a deep breath and let Max go back down on the sand to play with her granddaughter. Before she said anything, she grabbed hold of her wineglass and downed the contents in one. As Donna placed the glass back down, she stared back at her backup girls.

"I asked who the meeting was with honey." Tanya replied, glancing down at the file marked 'private & confidential'.

Resting her elbows on the table, Donna could feel the hot tears forming in her green eyes. "My…My Lawyer." She answered in almost a whisper, before quickly wiping away the tears as they traced a trail down her cheeks.

Shaking her head, Rosie looked at her best friend with a confused expression. "Whatever for Don?" She asked, watching as Donna slid the file over towards her and Tanya.

Looking down at her baby playing with a ball in the warm sand, Donna wiped her tears once more. "I'm sure you've heard the saying… 'If you love someone, set them free.'.. Well that's what I'm doing." She responded, watching her friends as Tanya opened the file and read through the contents with Rosie.

She poured herself another glass of wine and leant down to kiss Emma's forehead as she toddled over to her with a huge smile. The tears were still streaming down her face and Donna sipped her Chardonnay, as the Dynamos got to the final page. They both looked up at her with shocked expressions and Rosie looked as though she was about to burst into tears too.

"Oh my god Donna…What have you done?" Gasped Rosie, her mouth falling open as she shook her head at the best friend.

***************

Rushing in and out of meetings all day, Sam was relieved it was nearly time to leave the office earlier than he had been doing lately. He had a few errands to run before he could return to the penthouse apartment and have dinner with his sons. Checking the time on his watch, Sam picked up his warm winter jacket and left the already deserted office. The weather outside was getting colder and the snow laying thick on the ground, as Sam hailed a yellow cab. He used to love the snowy days in New York, but ever since he'd moved to Greece permanently, the all year round glorious sunshine, made him realise that that was where he'd been at his happiest.

Sitting back in the back of the warm taxi, Sam gazed out the window and watched the hustle and bustle of the hectic city streets. Seeing the people, wrapped up warm, making their way home to their loved ones, made Sam think about his wife…_The night Donna had told him, that she wanted to separate for a while, Sam had been heartbroken. She had been his wife for two years, they had found out Sophie was indeed his and she had given birth to his fourth child. Their marriage had been an emotional rollercoaster, but having loved Donna for over twenty years, he couldn't have imagined ever living without her again. The first week had been difficult for Sam, but throwing himself back into work at the office and spending time with his sons, had helped ease the pain a little. Ever since he'd left Kalokairi, there hadn't been a day that he hadn't thought about Donna and his two other children, urging him to make that phone call back to Greece. His wife had been quite distant on the phone and sounded stressed as their baby son whimpered for her, after not paying him attention for a few minutes. The other times he had called, he had either got through to one of the young workers or Sophie, but never mentioned when he was to be returning home. All he said, was that things were crazy at work and he would be home when he could, not wanting to upset his daughter with anymore details. Although he had only left Greece three weeks ago, to Sam it already felt like months had past and deep down he was seriously unhappy… _

As the cab turned onto Madison Avenue, Sam instructed the driver to pull over. He climbed out onto the snowy late afternoon packed sidewalk and handed the driver a few notes to cover the fare. Without even thinking about it, Sam walked into a the nearest bar and pushed his way through a crowd of office workers, enjoying an after work drink. He took off his jacket and took a seat at the bar, where he ordered a large scotch, straight up. Not one for really liking to drink alone, Sam considered calling up one of his buddies and telling them he was back in town for a while and asking them to join him. He took his cell phone out of his pocket and then deciding against it, he placed it down on the bar in front of him. Drowning his sorrows, Sam downed his drink and allowed the warm sensation in his throat to subside, before ordering another one… _He missed his wife. He missed his children. He missed everything he had back on Kalokairi. Why the hell he had let Donna convince him that taking a break was a good idea, he'd never know. As far as he was concerned, he still loved his wife with all his heart and no amount of time spent apart was ever going to change that. Yes they had a few marital problems, but nothing that couldn't be fixed with a bit of extra effort to make time for one another every day. That was where it had all gone wrong in Sam's eyes, the lack of communication between them. Since Max's birth, Donna had quickly slipped into some sort of depression and instead of making her sit down and talk about it, Sam had tried to stay out of her way, in fear of yet another argument erupting. Looking back now, he knew that wasn't the right solution. He should have stayed firm and made his wife seek some kind of help, just like she had rightfully advised their eldest son. But that was then and there was no point looking back, going over the 'what if's'. All Sam could do, was pray Donna still loved him and once he returned to her, everything would be back to normal…_

"Is this seat taken?" Asked a pretty blonde woman, standing next to Sam and bringing him out of his thoughts.

Shaking his head, Sam smiled back at her. "No, be my guest." He answered, gesturing the woman to take a seat next to him.

At that moment in time, Sam didn't care who wanted to sit next to him and in his frame of mind, it could have been Meryl Streep sitting down and he wouldn't have batted an eyelid. He was onto his third scotch and the pain was slowly starting to vanish albeit temporarily. As Sam asked the bartender for yet another drink, he was aware of the woman now sat to his left, staring at him. He turned and smiled, as she then struck up a conversation with him. After a few minutes, they had exchanged names and were just chatting. They made small talk about the holiday season and even the New York Yankees, who were playing on the big screen at the back of the bar. It was all purely innocent, until after a while, the pretty blonde moved closer towards him and Sam began to feel a little uncomfortable.

Taking a sip of her Martini, the woman placed her drink down and turned her head to look at Sam. "Do you know, I find you very attractive Sam." She said quietly near to his ear, catching Sam a touch off guard at her upfront attitude.

Raising his eyebrows, Sam smiled at her comment. "Thanks, but I'm also very married Gail." He replied, watching the blonde smirk in response.

"So am I, but that doesn't mean we couldn't have a bit of fun together." Said Gail, taking another sip of her drink, but never taking her eyes of the handsome guy sat next to her.

Shaking his head, Sam was relieved when his cell phone started to ring on the bar. "I'm sorry, I'm not like that." He answered, picking up his phone. "Would you excuse me?" He added, sliding the cell open and turning his back on the woman to answer the call.

"Jack, long time no speak." Said Sam, noticing the call was from his Lawyer and long term friend. "How you doing?"

"Not too bad Sam, but I think you should get down to my office right away." Jack responded down the line. "I've had a fax sent through from Greece."

Sam frowned and stood from his barstool. "Well what is it?" He asked after a long pause whilst he grabbed his jacket and threw some dollar bills on the bar, to cover his tab.

"Just get down here Carmichael." Replied Jack, before ending the call without saying goodbye.

With his mind now racing, Sam didn't even say goodbye to the woman who'd been hitting on him just moments before. As the cold evening air hit him, it took Sam a while to get a cab, as it was rush hour with people heading home. He finally got one, after walking a few blocks through the falling snow and instructed the driver to take him to West 47th Street. Sam had no idea what the fax could possibly be, but it must be important, for Jack to summons him to his office at six in the evening. It didn't take him long, once out of the cab, to make his way up to the Lawyer's office and be shown in by his tired looking secretary.

"Take a seat." Said Jack, shaking Sam's hand and then pointing to the chair opposite his, at the large walnut desk. "And have a read through this." He added, picking up a few pieces of paper he'd received an hour or so earlier via fax.

Sam sat and took the papers from his friend, noticing it was from a Lawyers office in Greece. It was the same Lawyers who took care of Donna's business, to do with the hotel and he had even been there with her on one occasion. He began reading every word of the covering letter and felt himself starting to feel nauseous, as Jack perched on the edge of the desk next to him.

"Normally at a time like this, I'd be screaming fucking prenuptial agreement Sam." Said Jack, in his thick New York accent. "But surprisingly, it looks like your wife's requests are more than reasonable."

As Sam turned to the second page and let Jack's words sink in, he felt the blood drain from his face…Donna had filed for divorce. His wife, his precious wife was divorcing him after two years of marriage, citing 'Irreconcilable Differences' as the reason. Now feeling his chest become tight, Sam was finding it hard to breath normally, as he placed the papers down on Jack's desk in front of him. He couldn't believe what was happening. He couldn't believe things had gone so far, that Donna didn't want to be with him ever again. Shaking his head, he peered up at his friend with a seriously shocked expression.

Jack stood up and tapped Sam on the shoulder. "I take it, you didn't see that coming Carmichael?" He asked, picking up the papers and walking round to the other side of his desk, before sitting down. "Donna has only demanded that you maintain regular contact with your two children you have with her and that the hotel be put back into her name only, on the title deeds." He continued, scanning back over the fax. "She's not asking for any money regarding maintenance for your youngest child…So I think when we receive the official documents from the courier in the morning, you can sign and get things moving."

Sam stood, a little unsteady on his legs, through sheer shock and the drink he'd consumed earlier. He felt as though his whole world was falling apart around him and he couldn't just sit here, listening to his friend telling him he'd be divorced quickly enough. Sam didn't want to be divorced, he wanted to be back in Kalokairi with his wife and family. He wanted to be holding his wife in his arms, with everything back to normal.

"I'll be back in the morning, but I won't be signing anything." Said Sam, picking up his jacket from the back of the leather chair. "I'm going back to Greece to find out what the hell is happening." He finished, turning his back and walking towards the door.

"Sam, that's not a good idea. If you get her pissed, she might change her demands and seeing as you didn't have a prenup in place, she could take you for half of fucking everything and I mean _everything_." Jack said, standing from his seat at the desk and shaking his head at Sam. "I'm a good Lawyer, but you have two kids with her and there's no way I could dig you out of that one my friend."

Opening the door, Sam shook his head. "I'll be back for the documents in the morning." He responded, before leaving the office and using his cell phone to book a flight back to Greece for the following day.

***************

A.N. DRAMA!!! Lol… Hope it was okay hunnies? Next chapter will be on the 'Love knows No Boundaries' story… loads of love, Liv x


	15. Chapter 15 Face To Face

N.B. HUGE, HUGE, HUGE Thanks for all your lovely reviews hunnies! Gonna be running out of ideas after the next few chapters, so if you want the story to carry on…I'm gonna need some input from you all please! Let me know what you want to happen and I will see what I can do!

As always, for my Dynamos…Mel & Viki, love you girls x (V, your email/reviews have me pissing myself laughing hahaha…LEG-END!)…

* * *

Chapter 15 Face To Face

* * *

As he had said he would, Sam called by his Lawyer's office when Jack called in the morning, to say the official divorce papers had arrived from Greece. Not listening as his friend strongly advised him not to go back to Kalokairi and rile the next ex Mrs. Carmichael, Sam left immediately, instructing Ted to get him to JFK airport as quick as he could. He hadn't slept at all the previous night, tossing and turning, as he thought about his wife. Giving up trying, Sam decided to drink himself into a stupor and temporarily blot things out of his racing mind. He still couldn't understand why Donna was doing this, either to them or their family and although the boys could sense something was going on, they knew not to push their father for details. Now suffering with a raging hangover, Sam took his first class seat on the plane bound for Greece. The flight had been delayed, only adding to his already agitated state of mind and as he buckled his seatbelt for takeoff, he prayed the flight would pass quickly so he could get on with the task in hand. The task of course, was getting to the bottom of whatever was going on in his wife's head. Finding out what had happened in the time he had been away, that made Donna want to divorce him. Closing his eyes, Sam settled back in the luxury leather seat and thought again about Donna…_ He loved her. He loved her so much that his heart actually ached. Things had gone so terribly wrong and it was up to him to put them right again, there was no way on earth he was going to sign the divorce papers. Sam had promised himself, that he wouldn't give his beautiful wife up, without fighting to win her back first. He had played things by her rules so far, by staying in New York, but now Donna was going to have to listen to what he had to say… It's time to stand up and be a man Carmichael, _Sam thought to himself, as the plane taxied up the runway and he glanced at his watch. With Greece being seven hours ahead of New York, he knew he wouldn't arrive on Kalokairi until late in the evening and hopefully he would find his wife alone.

With the Dynamos now clear with what their best friend had done, they had wanted to wait for Donna to put Max to bed and then they could sit her down for an uninterrupted talk. Rosie was in shock, whilst Tanya, who had gone through three divorces already, was more level headed with the matter. After telling her backup girls earlier on the beach, Donna knew she was going to have to explain to them, her reasoning for such a rash decision regarding her future. She wasn't looking forward to it one bit, knowing she was going to get emotional all over again and they probably wouldn't understand why she'd done it anyway. Sophie was another matter entirely, with Donna not wanting to tell her daughter, when she was already so mad at her. When she knew things were progressing, then she would sit her daughter down and tell her straight out.

Placing a tender kiss on Max's forehead, Donna gently placed him down in his crib. She gazed down at the peacefully sleeping baby and allowed her silent tears to trickle down her cheeks. Looking at Max, was like looking at Sam and the pain in Donna's heart grew more intense as her mind raced. Listening to her baby's gentle breathing for a few minutes, gave Donna time to gather herself and she finally left the room quietly.

"Sit down Donna." Said Tanya, as she and Rosie watched their friend approach across the dimly lit courtyard. "You look like you need a drink honey." She added, handing Donna a scotch when she sat down at their table.

The Dynamos could tell by Donna's red, swollen eyes, that she must have been crying and they both felt so helpless. Normally the three of them would share everything with one another, but this time Donna had wanted to do this on her own, without someone trying to talk her out of it. Rosie pulled her chair closer round next to Donna's and smiled sweetly at her, when she peered up and sighed. It had been a long, emotional day so far and now Donna was finding comfort in the scotch, as it warmed her throat on the way down. She toyed with the baby monitor, making sure the volume was turned up and she's hear Max if he woke.

"Donna, do you want to talk about it love?" Asked Rosie, glancing quickly up at Tanya and nodding at her to top up Donna's now empty glass.

Taking a deep breath, Donna took a long sip of her second scotch. "There's nothing really to talk about… I'm divorcing Sam and that's it." She answered, before slowly looking up at her friends.

Reaching across the table, Tanya placed her hand on Donna's, to stop her downing her drink. "We know Don, but what we don't know…Is why?" She said in a low, caring tone, then removing her hand to let Donna finish her drink.

_Where do I start? _Donna asked herself, trying to blink back the tears, as they began to well up in her already stinging eyes… _Did she just tell her friends, that her marriage to Sam had just simply run it's natural course? Did she tell them it had been on the cards for a long time? Did she tell them it was all her fault, she'd ruined things between her and her husband? The latter of course, is what she thought and that was exactly what she should tell them. They were her best friends, so surely they wouldn't judge her. It was times like this, that she really needed their unconditional support and added strength to get through it…_

"If you really want to know, then I'll tell you." Said Donna quietly, starting to feel the effects of the alcohol going to her head already.

"We're listening sweetie." Said Rosie, leaning closer and resting her elbows on the table in front of her. "Take your time."

Nodding her head slowly, Donna took a deep breath. "I've filed for divorce because I failed as a wife." She said, quickly wiping away a few hot tears, as they streaked down her prominent cheekbones. "It has nothing to do with Sam. He has only ever been the perfect husband and father…The only problem is me." She continued, slowly closing her eyes. "He deserves so much more. He deserves a woman who can love him for who he is…And that isn't me."

Tanya shook her head at her best friend. "Honey, that's just crazy." She responded, reaching out to take Donna's hand again and roll her eyes at Rosie, who was now crying too. "I know Sam loves you and how much he needs you as his wife…Jesus Christ Don, you two were made for each other." She finished, now pouring them all another drink.

"Tanya's right Donna." Said Rosie, pulling a tissue out of her pocket and wiping her tears. "Sam Carmichael is head over heels in love with you woman. You haven't failed as a wife…So maybe your sex life hasn't been like what it used to be, but my god, you're running this place and raising a baby, no bloody wonder." She continued, then grabbing her glass and downing the amber coloured liquor in one.

"It's not just about sex girls." Responded Donna, looking up to the clear night sky and slowly shaking her head. "I can't explain the way I feel, but things between Sam and I just don't feel like they did and I don't know why… I don't know…Maybe we weren't meant to grow old together."

Taking a sip of her own drink, Tanya nodded at what Rosie had said. "So you're not fucking like bunnies anymore, it's not the be all and end all Sheridan." She said, causing Rosie to roll her eyes at her this time. "What you've got to ask yourself is…Do you still love him?" She continued, leaning forward and staring deep into her best friends watery, green eyes. "When it came to my divorces, I asked myself that very question and the only one I could truthfully say I still loved, was James."

Placing her elbows on the table, Donna held her head in her hands and closed her eyes…_Did she still love Sam? Of course she loved him, she loved him with all her heart, but that was her reason for doing this in the first place. What they had had was special and he had given her two beautiful children as well. No matter what, they would always share that bond and that's why Donna didn't wanted to keep it as amicable as possible. She knew she had rights, but she also knew she didn't want her soon to be ex-husband's hard earned money. She wanted him to find happiness…_

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." Said Donna in a whisper, as she slowly stood from the table and grabbed hold of the bottle of scotch. "I'm going to bed." She finished, forcing a smile at her best friends, before turning and walking away towards her bedroom.

The two Dynamos watched in silence, as Donna walked across the courtyard, with a bottle of booze in one hand and the baby monitor in the other. As they peered at one another with worried expressions, they knew this was going from bad to worse. As soon as Tanya had asked Donna if she still loved Sam, the blonde had instantly clammed up and refused to talk any further. To them, it was a sure sign that Donna did in fact, still have strong feelings for her husband and that they would need to be here for her should she need them. Not one to ever really take sides with a man, Tanya actually felt so sorry for Sam in this instance. As far as they were concerned, he hadn't done anything wrong and knew if he already knew about the divorce, he must be feeling unbelievably distraught at Donna's actions.

Shaking her head, Rosie sighed deeply. "This is so messed up. Poor Donna and oh my god, Sam must be in a real state if he knows already." She said, standing up to go and get them another bottle of drink from behind the bar.

"Donna said yesterday that the papers had been faxed and couriered to Sam's Lawyer in New York." She replied, checking the time on her Rolex watch. "I wouldn't be surprised if Sam isn't back in Greece already… Think about it Hermit, Sammy Boy isn't going to let our girl go that easily. That man waited twenty-one years to get back in her life. Trust me, he'll be back." She finished, taking the bottle of scotch from Rosie as she sat down again.

"I hope so." Answered Rosie, watching her friend pour them both a large measure. "I really, really hope so."

Donna had got ready for bed in a slow, slightly tipsy manner and eventually sank down into the armchair in the corner of the room. She slid on her reading glasses and started to flick through the pages of her favourite poem book, stopping to read as she came across one of her favourites. There was no way she was going to get to sleep on her own tonight. Donna hated the mixed emotions that were consuming her every thought and knowing that even her precious daughter was still upset with her, only added to her already heavy heart. It wasn't until she'd drank her way through nearly half the bottle of scotch, that she felt her eyes slowly closing. That was one way to get to sleep, but also the best way to guarantee a major hangover in the morning and of all the days to be feeling rough, tomorrow probably wasn't going to be the best one.

The hours must have ticked by, after Donna drank herself to sleep in the armchair and as she woke to the sound of whimpering from the baby monitor, she sat upright to glance at the time. It was just before one in the morning and it was unusual for Max to be awake at that time. Standing up, Donna rubber her stiff neck and placed her glasses down on the nightstand by the monitor. She was about to grab her robe and go and check on her baby son, when something she heard over the monitor, stopped her dead in her tracks…The sound of her husband soothing Max and obviously picking him up, by the sound of rustling covers. Donna's heart plummeted to her feet and she sat down on the edge of the bed in shock. Sam was back and although she had a inkling that he would be at some point, she didn't bank on it being so soon after she'd filed for divorce. Nibbling nervously on her fingernail, Donna didn't know what to do…_Shit, _she thought to herself, now standing up and pacing the room… _Sam was the last person she wanted to see right now, as she hadn't forethought what she was going to say, when she did eventually come face to face with him. He was going to have questions and questions she was going to find almost impossible to answer, especially under pressure. Donna didn't even know how she was going to react when she saw his face again, although she prayed she was strong enough not to break down and cry. She had to keep telling herself, that she was doing this for him and she was doing it for his benefit, his happiness._

Hearing footsteps on the creaking stairs up to her room, Donna turned the bedside lamp off and jumped into bed. Pulling the covers up around herself, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She wasn't ready for a confrontation, not yet and hopefully Sam wouldn't try to wake her. Within a few seconds, she heard the bedroom door slowly open and she knew her husband must have been stood there watching her supposedly sleep. Donna was literally holding her breath, hoping Sam would just leave and after a minute, he did just that, closing the door behind him. She finally allowed herself to breath, trying hard not to make a sound as the tears began to flow. Deep down, Donna was hurting and only she knew how bad it felt to know that Sam was probably feeling the same.

"He'll thank me for it in the end." Donna whispered to herself, rolling onto her stomach and burying her face into the pillow to muffle her painful sobs.

Making a call to the boarding house, Sam had thankfully got hold of Pepper, who had agreed to come and get him from the ferry. At just after midnight, when they arrived back at the villa, Sam was relieved that there was no one in sight. It felt strange to be back on Kalokairi. The island that had been his home for two years, was where he'd been his happiest and where he had decided to live the rest of his life with his beloved wife. Staring up towards the bedroom, Sam could see the faint light from the bedside table and wondered if Donna was still awake. He knew he should've gone up to find out, but he was tired from the flight and wanted to deal with things with everything clear in his mind. There was something he really wanted to do though and that was go check in on his baby boy.

Leaving his bag in the reception, Sam quietly entered the warm nursery and pulled up a chair next to Max's crib. The baby was sleeping peacefully and Sam couldn't help but smile, as he reached in to take his tiny hand. He sat there for quite some time, just stroking the small tots soft skin and praying wasn't going to be pushed out of his life, only to see him on access visits. As silent tears fell from Sam's eyes, Max stirred and began to whimper.

"Shhhh little man." Whispered Sam, standing up to pick up his son. "Daddy's here." He added, slowly rocking Max back to sleep.

Within a few minutes Max had settled again and Sam placed him back in his cosy crib, tucking him in. He was surprised his wife hadn't been down to check on their son, but then realised that she might have heard him on the baby monitor. Making his way out of the nursery, Sam paused at the bottom of the stairs, before making the decision to climb them. He didn't know what he was expecting to find, but deep down in his aching heart, he wanted nothing more than Donna to be waiting for him with open arms and telling him it had all been a stupid mistake…Peering round the door, into the moonlight filled room, he could just make out the shape of his wife asleep in bed. Holding his breath, Sam slowly closed the door and went to find a bed for the night.

Waking early the next morning, Donna had hurried to get showered and dressed, hoping to get on with her jobs so she could take the afternoon off. If Sam was back, she didn't want to be around. Her head was banging, as she cautiously made her way downstairs and across the courtyard to the kitchen. Not hearing Max on the monitor, meant that he must still be sleeping and that she could have a cup of coffee in peace. It wasn't long before she was sat at the kitchen table, sipping a strong black coffee and nursing her aching head. Everything was such a mess and her mind quickly wandered back across the past two years… _She had been alone for so long. Years of just her and Sophie, running the hotel and struggling to keep the business afloat. Finding love again, had been the furthest thing from her mind, until of course, Sam Carmichael had walked back into her life. He had made her happy, making her realise what she'd been missing over all those lonely years. He had been caring, loving and no one could dispute they were perfect together in the bedroom department. He hadn't changed, he was still the same, it was her that had ruined things between them. It was all her fault…_

"Morning." Said Rosie, walking into the kitchen and breaking Donna out of her thoughts. "Sleep well?" She asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee and stirring in some cream.

Looking up at her friend, Donna held up her mug, so Rosie could top her drink up for her. "No, not really." She answered, before taking a sip of the steaming caffeine fix. "He's back."

Taking a seat next to Donna and tightening her robe, Rosie placed her mug down on the table. "Who's back, Sam?" She asked, eyes wide as she peered at her best friend.

Nodding, Donna then slumped forward and rested her head in her hands. "I haven't seen him yet, but I heard him in Max's room last night." She responded, with a sigh. "I should've known he be back, but I don't think it'd be so soon."

"Donna, of course he's back honey. He loves you." Said Rosie, leaning forward to rub Donna's tense shoulder. "And unfortunately, you're going to have to talk to him. Put yourself in his shoes love… You'd want answers if out of the blue he filed for divorce." She continued, taking a sip of her hot drink. "And for what it's worth… I think you're making a huge mistake Sheridan."

Instantly looking up, Donna peered into Rosie's tear filled eyes. "Well thanks for your support." She replied, he voice quivering slightly with emotion. "You don't understand Rosie, no one does."

Standing from the table, Rosie picked up her coffee mug. "Maybe you're right… But I still think you should talk to Sam before you go and ruin the rest of your life." She said, giving her a loving smile and walking out of the kitchen.

Making her way back around the corner, towards the guest quarters, Rosie soon came face to face with Sam. He looked worn out and the sad expression in his eyes, told her that he had taken the news badly. Without saying a word, Rosie moved closer to her friend's husband and gave him a tight hug. It was a simple gesture, but one Sam needed at a time like this, to give him the strength to carry on.

"She's in the kitchen." Said Rosie, looking up at Sam and giving him a sympathetic smile. "Don't give up Sam." She finished, giving him another tight squeeze before walking away.

Standing on the same spot for a few moments, Sam took a deep breath and then walked towards the kitchen. His heart was racing, at the thought of seeing Donna again, after the longest time apart they'd ever spent since marrying. There was no doubt in his mind whatsoever, that he loved her more than anything, but obviously something had changed if she wanted to divorce him. Slowly walking round the corner, Sam soon came to the kitchen and approached the doorway. Donna was sat at the table, looking into her cup of coffee and lost in thought once more. Clearing his throat, Sam walked in and stood before his wife, startling her as she peered up at him.

"I think we need to talk Donna." Said Sam in a calm tone, looking straight into her gorgeous green eyes. "What the hell's going on?" He continued, pulling the folded divorce papers out of his back pocket and throwing them down on the table in front of his wife.

Standing up, Donna swallowed hard and turned her back on her husband. "It's over Sam." She replied so quietly, Sam could hardly hear her.

Donna's heart was beating so hard in her chest, she was sure that Sam must have been able to hear it over the now strained silence. When he had walked into the kitchen, she first thing she had seen, was the total look of despair in his eyes and it hurt her even more to think she had caused that. In an ideal world, Sam would have stayed in New York and just signed the papers, putting a simple end to everything. It was hard enough going to the Lawyer's office, but now with Sam stood here in front of her, that made her realise, it had actually been the easy part.

"What do you mean it's over?" Asked Sam, his voice now slightly raised. "My god Donna, I love you woman. Why are you doing this?" He added, running his hand through his dark hair and staring as Donna slowly turned to face him.

"I'm doing this for you Sam." Said Donna, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes, but refusing to let them fall. "I'm letting you go."

Shaking his head, Sam was still none the wiser. "Letting me go?" He repeated, moving closer and resting his hands on the kitchen table. "Don't you love me anymore Donna?" He asked, allowing his own tears to flow.

"Just sign the papers Sam." Donna responded coldly, totally ignoring her husband's question and turning her back on him once more. "Don't make this harder than it already is."

Shaking his head, Sam straightened up and stepped closer towards his wife. "No. I'm not signing anything until you sit down with me and tell me exactly what made you decide to do this." He answered, seeing Donna's body physically trembling as they now stood a few feet apart. "I think you owe me at least that darling." He finished, reaching out to stroke her arm.

Moving away before Sam could make contact with her, Donna sighed deeply. "There really isn't anything to talk about Sam… I just think it'd be better for us and the kids if weren't together anymore. They don't need to hear us arguing all the time and I can't take it anymore either." She said, leaning against the worktop and staring down at the floor so she didn't have to make eye contact with him. "I want you to be happy and that means we can't be together."

Something wasn't right. Sam knew his wife was holding back and not telling him the real reason for her wanting them to get divorced. Exactly what though, he wasn't quite sure and he wouldn't give in until Donna fully opened up to him. Yes they had argued a lot since the birth of their son, but surely what they had was worth saving. If Donna loved him, like he loved her, then there was something that could be done. They could work on it, if only Donna would talk things through.

"I don't understand Donna." Said Sam, waiting for her to look up at him again. "Is there someone else? Is that why you want me out of the way?"

Donna's mouth fell open with sheer shock. "What?!" She hissed, feeling her whole body tense at her husband's question. "How dare you Sam. I can't deal with one man, what the hell makes you think I want another one?" She continued, her tone raising by the second, as her blood began to boil. "GET OUT!"

"Donna please." Said Sam in his still very calm tone and reaching out to touch her again.

"I said get out." Responded Donna, slapping his hand away and staring into his steely blue eyes. "Now."

Knowing he had pushed his wife too far for the time being, Sam turned to leave like she'd asked. He hadn't really got anywhere and knew he was going to have to take things slowly from now on. Leaving Donna in the kitchen, Sam had taken a few steps into the courtyard when he heard the sound of smashing pottery. He shook his head and didn't even think about going back in there, in fear of having a coffee mug hurled in his direction.

Picking up another mug, Donna threw it to the floor, causing it to shatter in all directions and then collapsed in a heap by the table. She finally allowed herself to cry, releasing all the pent up emotions she'd held in through her brief conversation with her husband. Sobbing loudly, Donna could make out the blurry outline of her friends appearing in the doorway to the kitchen and it wasn't long before they were both sat down on the floor at either side of her. The Dynamos looked at each other, as they wrapped their protective arms around Donna and silently allowed her to let everything out. It was obvious to them, that she was still in love with Sam, or she wouldn't be acting like this now. It was time for them to take matters into their own hands and sort the Carmichael's out once and for all. As far as Donna's backup girls were concerned, there wasn't going to be a divorce, they were going to get them back together as they had many times before. The only way to do it, was to get them together in a room, until they had sorted through their differences and Donna had admitted she couldn't live without Sam in her life. They knew they'd have to act quickly, before Sam gave up and signed the papers. If there was one thing the Dynamos were good at, it was putting a plan into action.

A.N. Thanks for reading! Can the Dynamos pull it off? Will Donna stop being so stubborn and finally see sense? Or will Sam give up and sign the papers? Hehehe… Review for more peeps, Loads of love, Liv x


	16. Chapter 16 Beginning of The End?

N.B. BIG thanks for the lovely reviews my friends (and for the ones on the other story too). So sorry it's taken me so long to update this story, but I've had a bit of a crap time of late and I really didn't feel like writing…butttttt, Enough of my moaning lol and on with the new update…Enjoy! As always, for my own Dynamos, Mel & Viki, love you girls…Mwahs!

* * *

Chapter 16 Beginning of The End?

* * *

Letting himself into the goat house, Sam was surprised to find Sophie already up and about. It was still early and his daughter was obviously taking advantage of the fact that his granddaughter was still asleep, making it easier for her to complete the chores around the apartment. She was picking up Emma's toys, that were scattered around the floor of the living room and didn't notice her father come in. Sam leant up against the wall and just watched his daughter for a few moments, taking in just how much Sophie resembled her mother, not only in her looks, but with her hurried movements too. As Sophie scooped up the last of her little girl's dolls and threw it into the toy box, she turned and noticed Sam watching her.

"Dad." Said Sophie, as a huge beam spread across her pretty face. "When did you get home?" She asked, walking over to Sam and throwing her arms around him.

Giving his daughter a tight hug, Sam placed a sweet kiss on her forehead. "Late last night sweetheart. How have you and my little princess been?" He asked, as Sophie unwrapped her arms and motioned for him to sit down on the nearby sofa.

Watching her father sit down, Sophie then took a seat next to him and shrugged her shoulders. "We've been fine I guess." She answered, before looking down at the small pink teddy, she now held in her hands. "How have you been…Without Mom?" She added, slowly peering back up at her father's face and noticing his expression change from a happy one, to one of sadness.

"It's been hard Sophie… But I don't know how much your mother has told you darling." Replied Sam, shifting position on the sofa and gazing into his daughter's huge blue eyes.

For some reason, Sam had an inkling that his wife had probably kept things from their daughter, in order to protect her. They both knew that Sophie was a very sensitive young woman and even more so since the whole issue with Sky. If there was one thing for sure, Sam knew that Donna wouldn't want to upset Sophie, if she could possibly help it and he didn't want to either. He didn't want to upset anyone, he just wanted everything to be back to normal, or as normal as it could be under the present circumstances.

"Mom has hardly told me anything. In fact, we're not talking at the moment… And before you start with me for arguing with her, I want you to know that I was only sticking up for you Dad." Sophie responded, fiddling nervously with the small stuffed animal in her hands. "She's been unbearable at times to live with since Max was born and I can't understand why she's pushed you away."

Shaking his head, Sam smiled at his daughter. "I appreciate you defending me Soph, but arguing with your mother isn't going to help anything… Your mom is having a rough time at the moment and unfortunately she doesn't seem to want to listen to reason." Said Sam, leaning forward the tuck a strand of Sophie's golden hair behind her ear. "But I want you to know, whatever happens between me and your mom, nothing's going to change what we have."

A confused expression swept across Sophie's face. "What do you mean, happens between you and Mom? You're back for good right?" She asked, staring intensely into her father's eyes and slowly shaking her head at him.

"I don't know what's happening right now sweetheart. Your mother has filed for divorce and when I spoke to her earlier, it…" Answered Sam, trailing off and running his hand through his dark hair. "Let's just say, it didn't go too well. The last thing I heard was the sound of smashing pottery in the kitchen."

Sophie clasped her hand over her mouth in total shock. "Oh my god… She's divorcing you?" She finally asked, once her father's words had registered. "I can't believe it."

"Yeah, it came as a shock to me too darling… But I need you to promise me, that you won't be hard on her. She needs you Sophie, you know that don't you?" Sam said, gently wiping away a few tears, as they trickled down his daughter's cheek. "I'm going to do all I can to make it right. That's my promise to you."

Wiping even more of her hot tears, as they silently fell from her eyes Sophie swallowed hard. She found it difficult to fully comprehend what was actually going on. When she had spoken to her mother about it, she had said that she and Sam had issues they were working on resolving, not contemplating divorce… _As far back as Sophie could remember, her mother had always been quite stubborn and once she had her mind set on something, there was no changing her mind on the matter. It was a trait that had sometimes driven the young woman insane, until of course, it was pointed out by a few close friends, that she too had inherited the stubborn streak from her mother. The Sheridan women were known to be headstrong and intelligent with it too, but Sophie couldn't help but think her mother just wasn't thinking straight at the moment. She couldn't be…_

"How can you be so calm about it Dad? I love Mom, I really do, but you can't expect me to happy about what she's doing to you." Sophie finally replied, standing up and walking over to Emma's toy box to throw in the small teddy she'd been holding onto.

Standing up too, Sam walked over towards the goat house door. "Don't blame your mother for all this sweetheart. I maybe haven't been the best husband lately…Pretending everything's alright, doesn't make it alright." He said, giving Sophie a wink and then leaving her to it.

Having done well to hold it together in front of his daughter, Sam was happy that he had seen her and reassured her he would do his best to make her mother see sense. At the moment, Sam still couldn't quite fathom out why his wife had gone to such extremes and instead of trying to work out their problems, she had cut straight to the chase and taken it upon herself to end the relationship altogether. She must have had her reasons, but what they were exactly, was beyond him. At least when Lorraine had filed for divorce, he knew she had a valid reason; she had gone through years of marriage knowing her husband was in love with another woman and even though she had been the one committing countless acts of adultery, he knew he had been the one to ultimately drive her to it. This was different, this was completely different. Donna was the woman he had been in love with all these years, she was the only reason he couldn't make his first marriage work and now she had given up on theirs. Sam couldn't comprehend how someone could just stop loving another person, after what they had together had been so special. Thinking about it, he could only come up with two possible answers to this; either Donna was in love with another man or she really was still in love with him, but somehow doubted his loved for her.

*************

To say that Donna been a wreck since her run in with Sam, was an understatement. It had taken the Dynamos well over an hour to talk her round and scrape her up off the kitchen floor. Donna had sat there, crying and shaking, as her best friends held her close, trying in vain to soothe her troubles. She wasn't acting like a woman that was divorcing for the right reasons, she was acting like Sam had been the one to tell her it was all over between them. With past experience under her Gucci belt, Tanya knew what the Carmichael's had was far from over and that all they needed was a gentle push in the right direction, to get Donna to open up. The plan she had in mind, was a simple one, but one that had worked once before. It would all come into play later tonight.

Through the mediation of the Dynamos, Donna had reluctantly agreed to let Sam take Max out for a daytrip to the mainland. She had kissed her baby boy goodbye, before handing him over to Rosie and also handing her the bag containing the essentials he needed for the day out. It was hard for Donna, as she hadn't been parted from her son since the day he was born and she wondered if Sam could cope with him by himself. It wasn't until her best friend informed her that Sophie was planning on joining him with Emma, that Donna relaxed a little and decided to throw herself into work, to take her mind off missing her baby for a while.

With the mail sorted through, the guest quarters cleaned and Max's endless dirty clothes washed and dried, Donna finally allowed herself to grab something to drink. She pulled out a chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio from the fridge behind the beach bar and poured herself a large glass of the pale coloured liquid. It was wonderfully peaceful, as she took a seat at one of the small tables and gazed out across the horizon. There was something about being sat near the beach, that brought a kind of inner calm to her. She loved the ocean and the island of Kalokairi, reminiscing over the past and how happy she and Sophie had been here over the years… _Without a second thought, Donna had erased the memories of her past before she had left home to go travelling. Her childhood had been a strict Christian upbringing and one that didn't hold many fond memories for her, often causing her to rebel against her controlling mother. Her early teenage years hadn't been much better either and as the arguments escalated between mother and daughter, Donna knew as soon as she could, she'd break away and live her life as she wanted, not as she was told to…_

"What you thinking about honey?" Asked Tanya, walking over to join her friend and finding her lost in thought.

Blinking back the tears, Donna turned her head to face her friend. "Just the past." She answered quietly, before taking a sip of her wine and gazing back out to the ocean.

Walking over to the bar, to get herself a glass, Tanya let out a snort of laughter. "Well that explains the drink then." She said, then walking back to the table and talking a seat next to her friend. "How far back are we talking? Just so I know how drunk I have to get to deal with it all?" She continued, helping herself to a glass of the chilled white wine and talking a swig of it.

Donna rolled her eyes at her friend's questions and sighed deeply. "Back to when my life was simple. When it was just me and Soph living on our little island." She answered, pouring herself a refill and glancing round at a smiling Tanya.

"How things have changed since then huh Carmichael." Responded Tanya, raising an eyebrow at her best friend. "And I mean for the better… You made your business a success, became a grandmother, had another baby, gained two other great kids and married the man of your dreams."

Feeling the tears beginning to pool in her eyes once more, Donna peered down into her glass of wine. "Did you have to call me that?" She asked, still watching the contents of her glass, as she swirled it round slowly. "You never call me that."

Glancing down at Donna's hand, as she played with her glass, Tanya noticed that her best friend had removed her wedding band and engagement ring. "I called you it because it suits you honey and it is still your name after all." She replied, taking a sip of her drink and peering back up at Donna's face.

"Well not for much longer." Donna replied in a quiet voice and then downing the cooling liquid from her glass.

With the sun starting to set over the island, both women sat in silence for a few minutes, just watching the light slowly fade when the sun sank closer towards the ocean on the horizon. Tanya was frustrated, wanting to make her best friend see sense before it was too late and short of slapping her across the face, she knew that all she could do was keep talking to her about it for now. Donna on the other hand, didn't want to talk anymore. She was being stubborn and knew that now her mind was set, there was no going back for her and her soon to be ex-husband. When it was all over, she'd reassured herself, that she'd still have her hotel and the two greatest gifts Sam had ever given her; her two children. Not sure what Sam had told the boys, Donna hoped deep down that they wouldn't hate her for it and they would still look upon her as their mother. She loved them like her own and no matter what happened between her and their father, she would always be there for them regardless.

"Why are you doing this to yourself Donna?" Asked Tanya, bringing her friend out of her thoughts once more. "You still love Sam and don't even think about trying to deny it sweetie, it's written all over your face."

Turning to face her friend, Donna couldn't stop a few stray tears escaping her stinging eyes. "You know why I'm doing this Tanya… Sam deserves someone better." She whispered, feeling her body tense up as she wiped away the warm tears from her cheek.

Nodding, Tanya placed her wineglass down on the small table in front of her and sighed. "Ok honey, but answer me this… How are you going to feel when you know that he's in a relationship with someone else? Oh and he will be, believe me. Some woman will be happy to get her claws into Sammy boy." She said, watching the colour drain from her friend's face, as he harsh words sank in. "How are you going to feel when you know he's back in New York, making love to another woman? Sharing his life with her and introducing her to your son? Because it's bound to happen honey. He's going to want to have Max with him for visits, it's his right as his father." She continued, feeling bad for saying things that she knew her friend wouldn't want to hear.

Donna felt the knife plunge into her heart and as she replayed Tanya's words over in her mind, it twisted further to cause her more pain. Even after everything she'd done, Donna hadn't allowed herself to think that far ahead into the future and how she would actually cope with all these aspects of it. For now, she was busy dealing with the fact that Sam was back at the villa and how she was going to get him to sign the papers, to get everything over and done with. She knew her friend meant well, but she still didn't want to hear it, let alone dwell on it.

"I'm going for a bath. It's been a long day." Said Donna, standing from the table and blatantly avoiding her best friend's questions. "Will one of you let me know when Sam gets back, so I can put Max to bed?" She asked, sliding the bottle of wine over towards Tanya and slowly walking away before receiving an answer.

Tanya watched her leave the beach and head up the stone steps to the courtyard. "Oh you'll know when Sam's back alright." She muttered to herself, as she poured herself another glass of wine and waited for Rosie to join her.

*************

Returning home from their day out, Sam was smiling as he walked across the courtyard, carrying a sleeping baby Max in his arms. Sophie placed little Emma down on the floor and watched as she toddled over towards Rosie, who held her arms out for the little girl. Father and daughter had enjoyed spending the day together and had both agreed not to talk about the divorce, in fear of it bringing the mood down. The two babies had had a ball too, playing on the beach, eating the picnic Sophie had prepared beforehand and after being treated to gifts from the toy shop, having dinner at Valentina's.

"Did you guys have fun?" Asked Rosie, as she scooped Emma up into her arms and placed a sweet kiss on her cheek.

Nodding, Sophie stifled a yawn and smiled. "Yes, but I'm exhausted." She answered, taking Emma from her Aunt Rosie, as the small tot held her arms out to her mother. "These two are hard work."

Sam laughed and nodded. "Yes they are." He said in agreement, as he peered lovingly down at the little boy in his arms. "Max is worn out. Maybe because his sister insisted that we went shopping."

"Nothing wrong with getting him trained from a young age." Laughed Sophie, placing a kiss on her brother's forehead and shifting Emma onto her hip. "Well I'm going to get this little madam bathed and put to bed… Night all." She finished, blowing her Aunt's a kiss as she walked away towards the goat house with a chattering Emma.

"Night Soph." The Dynamos both called after her, before both instantly looking back at Sam and Max.

Narrowing his eyes at his wife's best friends, Sam smiled. "Well I better get Max to bed too." He said, gently placing his son against his chest, so his head was resting on his father's shoulder.

Stepping forward, Rosie gently took the sleeping baby out of Sam's hold. "Don't worry about that Sam, I'll do it for you." She said, now holding Max close and smiling at her friend's husband.

"Yeah, we'll put him to bed." Said Tanya, standing from her seat and walking over to stand next to Rosie. "Donna's upstairs and she wants to see you. I think she's ready to talk honey." She added with a smile and ushering Rosie away towards the nursery.

Sam stood there for a few moments and watched the Dynamos walk into the reception area, before his gaze wandered up towards the bedroom her used to share with his wife. Since their argument earlier that morning, he had tried his best not to think about it and assured himself that he should give Donna a bit of space before he broached the subject again. According to the Dynamos, Donna was now ready to talk about it and hopefully he could finally get to the bottom of what was really going on with her. Walking over to the bar, Sam poured himself a small measure of scotch and downed it in one. If they were about to have a heart to heart, he wanted to calm himself down first and knew Donna would probably need a drink too. Grabbing a extra glass and the rest of the bottle of his best scotch, Sam made his way up to the bedroom.

Reaching the landing at the top of the stairs, Sam paused as he placed his hand on the door handle. Turning it quietly, he walked into the room and closed the door behind him. The bedroom was empty, but he could see the light coming under the door of the bathroom and the sound of running water confirmed that Donna was in there. Under normal circumstances, he would have walked right in there and joined his wife in the tub like they used to do on a regular basis, but now it was different. Donna had single-handedly decided that what they had together, was no longer the way she wanted to live and until he could change her mind, the thought of not being able to touch her, drove him mad.

Sam took a seat on the edge of the marital bed, placed the glasses on the nightstand and poured them both a drink. He heard the sound of the water being let out the bath and Donna getting out. What he didn't hear, was one of the Dynamos climbing the stairs and silently locking the bedroom door from the outside, with the hotel's master key. The two backup girls knew what Donna was like for running away from things, when the going got too much for her to handle and the only way to keep her there to confront her problems, was to lock the pair of them in. It had worked a treat once before, so hopefully it would work again. The Dynamos would of course hang around and survey the situation, only letting the Carmichael's out if they thought they had talked things through, or were at risk of actually killing one another.

Wrapping her robe around her and tying it up, Donna towel dried her hair as she opened the bathroom door and walked out into her bedroom. She froze at the sight of her husband sat on their bed with his back to her. Donna couldn't believe the nerve of Sam, just turning up in her room like that and as he slowly turned to face her with a smile, she could feel the anger building within.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Asked Donna in an icy tone, throwing her damp towel down on the bed in front of her and tightening her robe. "Where's Max?"

Standing up, Sam took a sip of his drink. "Max is in bed and I'm here because the Dynamos said you wanted to talk." He replied, then pouring himself another drink and holding a glass out to Donna.

Completely ignoring his offer of a drink, Donna walked past Sam and over to the bedroom door. "I never said I wanted to talk. You've been set up Sam… I'm going to check on Max." She said calmly turning the handle and instantly realising the door was locked. "Unlock the door." She added, turning to face her husband and staring intensely into his steely blue eyes as he stared back at her.

"I haven't locked it Donna." Said Sam, holding his hands up to protest his innocence in the matter.

Shaking her head, Donna turned back to the door and hammered on it. "Tanya, Rosie…You better unlock this door right now." She called through the wooden door. "Do you hear me?" She continued, placing her ear against it and listening for some form of movement on the other side.

Sitting back down on the edge of the bed, Sam laughed quietly. "I think we've both been set up." He said, before taking another sip of his scotch.

"I'll fucking kill them when I get my hands on them." Sniped Donna, grabbing the bottle of scotch from the nightstand and taking it into the bathroom with her.

Sam heard his wife slam and lock the door behind her and shook his head. It was plainly obvious that the Dynamos had been behind this and although Donna didn't want him anywhere near her, Sam took comfort that he was near enough in the same room as her for the being. He was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol taking hold of his senses, as he stood up and walked over to the locked bathroom door. Resting his forehead on the pale blue door, Sam could hear Donna on the other side sniffling quietly. There was no mistaking that she was upset, but he didn't know if it was at his presence, or the fact that her best friends had been so sneaky.

"Max had a good time today." Said Sam, trying to keep the conversation as light as possible. "But I think he and Emma missed you."

No surprise there was no reply from the other side of the door and Sam sighed as he took a seat on the floor, resting against the doorframe. He looked down at the contents of his glass and took a sip. His heart was aching and all he wanted to do was hold Donna in his arms if only she would let him get close to her again. She was still his wife, he loved her and as far as he was concerned, there was no one else that could fill that part of his life ever again. Donna was trembling as she sat on the other side of the door, taking long sips of the stinging alcohol to calm her shattered nerves. Of all the stupid stunts for her friends to pull, this was by far the most annoying. They knew full well what she was trying to deal with and that talking to Sam was not on her agenda at all.

Taking another swig of scotch, Donna then wiped the cascading tears from her face and sighed. She had no idea how long her backup girls planned for her to stay locked up with her soon to be ex-husband, but she hoped they soon got bored and decided to let them out, then she could deal with them.

"Donna, I hate to disturb whatever you're doing in there… But I've really got to pee." Said Sam, breaking the silence once more and getting up slowly.

Rolling her eyes, Donna slowly stood too and took a deep breath before unlocking the door. She opened it and instantly locked gazes with Sam as he smiled at her. It was the smile that had won her over two years ago in the chapel and now the effect it had was just the same. Donna broke eye contact with Sam, in order to keep herself composed and stepped past him so he could use the bathroom. As he closed the door behind him, Donna walked over to the dressing table and took out the divorce papers, Sam had left in the kitchen that morning. She placed them on the bed, along with a pen and waited for Sam to emerge once more. It wasn't long before he did and walked out to join her again, noticing the lack of eye contact between them.

"I take it you told Sophie." Said Donna, leaning against her dressing table and staring down at the floor in front of her.

"If you mean about you divorcing me, then yes, it came up in conversation." Replied Sam, stepping closer towards his wife and staring at her slim frame. "But to be honest, I thought she had the right to know what was going on. She's not stupid Donna, I think she'd soon realise that I'm not going to be a regular part of her life anymore."

Sighing deeply, Donna nodded her head. "Well that's just another reason for her to hate me then." She said quietly, he gaze still fixed firmly on the floor at her feet.

Shaking his head, Sam reached out to hook his finger under Donna's chin. "Sophie doesn't hate you Darling. She's just upset that's all… And can you really blame her?" He said calmly, raising Donna's head to look at him. "I know how she feels, because I'm feeling it too."

"Please don't." Whispered Donna, flinching away from Sam's touch and turning her head to look down at the bed.

The bed she had spent so many years alone in. The bed where she and Sam had first made love after twenty one years apart. The bed they had quite possibly conceived their baby boy in. Donna's heart was beating so hard in her chest and she could hear the same thumping rhythm ringing in her ears, as the blood rushed around her shaking body. With the alcohol now coursing through her veins, Donna felt nauseous, as she found the courage to finally peer up into Sam's eyes. She could instantly see the hurt and pain deep within them and another piece of her heart broke away, knowing she was making him to feel that way. It was never her intention to hurt him, she was doing this to protect him in the long run.

"Donna… Is this really what you want? Are you really saying you don't love me anymore?" Asked Sam, feeling tears welling up in his eyes.

That was the question that Donna really didn't want to answer. Even if she explained to Sam that she did still love him, but was doing this to ensure his happiness in the future, he still wouldn't understand. In order to get him to go through with the divorce, Donna soon realised that she was going to have to be brutal and bend the truth. It was going to kill her inside and no doubt Sam too, but it had to be done, to bring it to an end once and for all.

Swallowing hard, Donna stared into Sam's watering eyes and forced herself not to cry. "It's the end Sam… I don't… I don't love you anymore." She responded, straightening her body and tightening her robe. "I'm not saying what we had wasn't good Sam… Just look at the two beautiful children we got out of our relationship." She added, trying somehow to soften the blow she'd just dealt him.

Sam was in complete shock, as he slowly stepped back from Donna and shook his head. He couldn't actually believe what he was hearing and as he grabbed his scotch from the nightstand, he slumped down on the edge of the bed. It took a while for Donna's words to fully sink in, as he quickly downed at least a triple measure of the dark amber liquor. Sam thought about it for a further minute, as he rolled the now empty glass in the palms of his shaking hands… _It's another man. She's seeing someone else. It all makes fucking sense now. She wanted me out of the way because she's seeing someone else…_

"Who is he Donna?" Sam asked, looking up at his wife as she stood a few feet away from him, still resting against the dressing table. "Do I know him?"

"What?" Donna asked, shaking her head at Sam's question and shifting the weight from one foot to another. "I thought I made it clear this morning. There is no one else Sam."

Standing up, Sam could feel the rage tearing through him, at the thought of some other man with his hands on his wife. He was furious and couldn't control it, as he threw his glass against the opposite wall. The glass smashed into thousands of pieces as it hit, causing Donna to jump at her usually calm husband's erratic actions. She stood motionless, staring at Sam as he stepped towards her once more. Other than his fight with his brother, Donna had not seen this side of Sam and especially not aimed towards her. For the first time ever, she actually felt scared of his behaviour, but instead of backing away, something inside her spurred her on to stand up to him.

"Are you fucking insane?" Donna asked, her voice now raised to an angered tone, as she stood a few feet away from Sam and stared into his eyes.

"No." Replied Sam, staring back at her and shaking his head. "But I think you are… Don't you understand how much I love you Donna? My whole world revolves around you and our kids and you're standing here telling me, it doesn't mean a thing to you anymore."

Hearing the glass smashing from the Carmichael's room upstairs, alarmed the Dynamos. It wasn't the outcome they had been hoping for and now, the only thing on their mind, was to get up there to see what had happened. As the two women cautiously climbed the stairs, they looked at one another and tried to make out what was being said in the now increasingly raised voices coming from behind the locked door. They paused at the top and both remained silent, as they heard their best friend begin to talk once more.

Brushing past Sam and walking over to the bed, Donna picked up the divorce papers and the pen, she had placed there before. She turned round and held them out towards him. "Your world can still revolve around the kids Sam, just not me." She said in an icy tone, staring straight into his eyes. "Do us both a favour and sign the papers. Don't make this any harder than it has to be…Please."

The Dynamos both stood outside the room, holding onto one another as they listened. "Don't do it Sammy Boy, don't do it." Whispered Tanya, shaking her head, as Rosie shushed her.

"I can't Donna." Whispered Sam, now feeling his tears making a reappearance. "I can't let you go."

Watching Sam's tears falling, made Donna's heart drop to the pit of her stomach and she couldn't hold back as her tears began to flow too. She quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand and stepped closer to Sam. It was close to the end and they both knew it. The fighting couldn't continue, it was too exhausting and Donna could tell Sam had taken more than enough.

"You have to." Whispered Donna, placing the legal documents in his hand, as they stared at each other.

Taking the pen from her too, Sam slowly shook his head and turned to the last page of the documents. Closing his eyes for a few moments, he cleared his mind of all thoughts before looking back at the papers. Donna stared down at his hand and watched as Sam signed his name on the relevant line. It all seemed to happen in slow motion, as the Dynamos unlocked the bedroom door and flung it open, just in time to see Sam handing Donna the papers back. All four of them stood in complete silence, until Sam made the next move. He leant forward to delicately place his hand on Donna's cheek, before gently brushing his lips against hers. With his final act, the Dynamos knew that Sam had given up the fight and given Donna what she wanted. It was over.

"All I ever wanted was for you to be happy… I hope you are now." Sam whispered, gazing deeply into Donna's tear filled green eyes.

Closing her eyes, so the tears wouldn't fall, Donna felt Sam's tender touch leave her face and without another word uttered, he turned and left the room, pushing past the two other women. Knowing he had gone, Donna finally opened her eyes and came face to face with her best friends. Rosie was already in tears and Tanya for once was speechless, waiting for Donna to say something. She didn't. She couldn't. She simply walked forward and closed the door, leaving her friends on the other side. Stumbling back towards the bed, Donna collapsed in a heap and buried her face into the soft pillow, masking the sound of her sobs. With the worse part over, all there was to do, was return the documents to the Lawyer's office and wait for a date so things could be finalised. It wouldn't be long until she was a single woman again and Sam could move on with his life.

* * *

A.N. Oh dear lol! Sammy Boy gave up! …But is it the end for the Carmichael's? Will Donna realise she's making a HUGE mistake? Will Sam leave and go back to New York? Hmmmm…. Be nice and review and you might just find out! Hahaha… Loads of love, Liv x


	17. Chapter 17 Donna's Choice

N.B. Love to you all for the wonderful reviews! And also on my other story (Mamma Mia! Love Knows No Boundaries).. You rock! For M & V, my beautiful Dynamos, love you girls! Mwahs xxx

I'm trying my best to update BOTH stories for you, as often as I can before Christmas… I'm going away for a week on the 26th, so don't think I'm deserting you lol I'm just taking a break (Meryl style .. Even though it DOESN'T involve a boat, it might involve us KILLING each other lmao)… I want to wish you all, a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year, love ya x

* * *

Chapter 17 Donna's Choice

* * *

Waking up on her bed, still fully clothed, Donna realised that she must have cried herself to sleep the previous night. Her eyes were sore and her whole body ached from her hours of violent sobbing after Sam had left. Rising from the bed, Donna stood up and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was after nine and it must have meant that her baby son would be already awake, no doubt in the care of his father. Taking a few steps forward, Donna's gaze fell upon the signed divorce papers, Sam had thrown down on her bed. The total severity of what was going on, hit her once more and the tears instantly sprang to her red rimmed eyes. This was it, this is what she had wanted. She had got her own way and now she felt like crap. Walking into the bathroom, Donna stared at her appearance in the mirror over the basin. She didn't like what she saw. She looked like a shadow of her former self and she knew it was all her own fault.

Filling the wash basin with ice cold water, Donna leant down and splashed it over her face. The water numbed the stinging in her eyes, but it didn't do anything for the terrible pain in her heart. She couldn't begin to imagine how Sam must be feeling right now and she didn't even want to think about it… Donna had seen the hurt and confusion in his eyes, right after he'd reluctantly signed the papers and right before he'd kissed her goodbye for the final time. She hoped for the sake of her two children and her own sanity, that this was really the right solution to her problem. The last thing she wanted, was to drive Sam out of the kid's lives and hoped that after everything had settled down, he wouldn't hate her for what she'd done and stop visiting altogether. Donna knew she'd denied Sophie of a father for so long and now the news of the divorce going ahead would mortify her, when she thought about losing her dad again…_It's for the best. Stay strong, _Donna found herself saying in her head, as she slowly got ready for the day ahead.

Pulling on some linen trousers and a simple white fitted t-shirt, Donna walked over to the dressing table to clip her hair up. Thankfully, her eyes didn't look as puffy and her previously blotchy appearance, had returned to normal with the help of the cold water. She was about to leave the sanctuary of her bedroom, when there was a quiet knock at the door. Taking a deep breath, Donna walked over and cautiously opened it. She silently prayed that it wasn't Sam, coming back for an argument of some sort, or to tell her that he'd changed his mind about going through with the divorce. If she were to stay focused, Donna knew that she couldn't come into contact with him before things had progressed, if of course, she could possibly help it. It was nearly Christmas and she didn't want to deny Sam the right to spend time with Sophie and Max. She would simply, make herself scarce.

"Hey girls." Said Donna in a quiet tone, when she realised it was her best friends that had come looking for her and luckily not her soon to be ex-husband. "Come in." She finished, opening the door wider so the Dynamos could join her in the bedroom.

Donna had initially been angry at her best friend's stupid stunt last night, but after shutting the door in their faces, she realised that they had actually helped her to achieve what she wanted. If they hadn't locked her in with Sam, then she probably wouldn't have spoken to him and the whole situation of signing the papers would have been dragged out over the holidays. The Dynamos on the other hand were upset that that their plan hadn't worked with the desired effect. The last thing they wanted was to help end the Carmichael's marriage, when they knew it was so wrong. Rosie hadn't slept a wink through worrying about Donna and Tanya had only fallen asleep after downing a cocktail of booze and sleeping tablets, as per usual.

"We wanted to apologise Donna." Said Rosie, as she and Tanya walked in and plonked themselves down on their best friend's bed. "We should have just left you and Sam to sort it out yourselves… My god honey, we never imagined for one minute that he'd actually sign the papers."

Picking up the divorce documents, Donna folded them up and placed them in her large purse on the dressing table. "Well actually girls, I wanted to thank you." She replied, then turning round to peer down at her friends, sat on her bed. "I would've never have gotten Sam to sign, if you hadn't locked us in together."

Shaking her head, Tanya peered down at an envelope she was holding in her hand. "That's not actually what we were aiming for Carmichael." She said, sitting up straight and staring into the blonde's green eyes.

"Will you stop calling me that…Please." Retorted Donna, feeling the dull ache in her chest suddenly reappear, at hearing _his _name.

"No… It's your name Donna and it always should be." Answered Tanya, now standing up in front of her friend. "I've tried the soft approach with you sweetie and now it's time for me to tell you straight…You are making _the _biggest mistake of your entire life honey. I mean have you even listened to anything I've said to you? I know I asked you yesterday, but have you considered what you're going to feel like when Sam is playing happy families with your son and some other woman?" She continued, grabbing Donna by the shoulders and staring deeply into her eyes.

Trying her best not to cry, Donna stared back into Tanya's hazel eyes and shook her head at her. "My god, will you stop… You are supposed to be my friend, you're supposed to be supporting me, not making me feel shittier than I already do." She answered, shrugging off her friend's hold on her and turning her back. "And no, I haven't thought about it… Because if I do, it will kill me inside." She finished, now slumping down into the armchair in the corner of the room and holding her head in her hands.

Donna was telling her the truth. She hadn't allowed herself to think about it. Crossing one bridge at a time and dealing with things as best she could, Donna wanted the divorce to be finalised before she had to start thinking about she and Sam moving on with their lives. When she had put her plan into action, Donna had done it purely for the purpose of Sam finding a woman that could treat him the way he deserved to be treated, not so she could be free to start seeing other people. That was the furthest thing from her mind right now and after being loved by Sam, she knew she'd never find anyone even half as good as him.

"Donna… We're not doing this to make you feel bad love." Said Rosie, shuffling to the edge of the bed and peering at her friend. "We're telling you this because we love you and we don't want you to do something we know you will end up regretting."

Walking over to where Donna was sitting, Tanya perched on the arm of her chair and placed her arm around her. "Exactly." She said in a softer tone now. "We saw Sam this morning before he left Donna and he's a mess honey."

Slowly looking up at her backup girl, Donna swallowed softly. "He's gone?" She asked quietly, then beginning to nibble nervously on her nail. "Back to New York? Where's Max?"

"No, not back to New York and Max is with Soph." Answered Tanya, then holding out the envelope she'd been clinging onto. "He's checked himself into a hotel on the mainland and he asked us to give you this." She added, waiting for Donna to take the white envelope from her.

Donna peered at it for a few moments, as her heart starting beating harder… _He had written to her, no doubt pouring his heart out and probably doing so, whilst thinking she was a home wrecking bitch. She didn't know if she was ready to hear it. She didn't know if she was strong enough to handle what he had to say right now. Everything was so raw at the moment, she had to keep reassuring herself that she was still doing the right thing… It's for the best, _Donna thought to herself, sitting back in the armchair and turning away from the envelope, as if it were hurting her eyes.

"Are you going to open it Don?" Asked Rosie, still sitting on the edge of the bed and looking up at Tanya with a worried expression on her face.

Shaking her head, Donna still refused to cry and kept herself free of all emotions. "I don't think I can." She replied, before nibbling on her nail once more.

"Do you want me to read it to you honey?" Rosie then asked, standing up and walking over to join her two friends, then crouching down in front of them. "You know if you don't do this now, you'll spend the rest of your life wondering if whatever Sam wrote in that letter, could've changed anything in the future."

Thinking about if for a few moments, Donna nodded. "Yes." She replied, taking the letter from Tanya's hand and passing it to Rosie. "But you'll stop if I ask you too, right?" She then asked her friend, whilst staring at her wide eyed.

Nodding in agreement, Rosie quickly opened the sealed envelope and rose to her feet. She scanned the page for a couple of seconds, before clearing her throat. Donna sat incredibly still and gripped onto Tanya's hand as she offered it to her for support. She was as ready as she'd ever be and if anything, she was intrigued as to what Sam wanted to say, that he hadn't already said to her last night.

Pacing the floor in front of the other two women, Rosie began to read the letter out from Sam. "Dear Donna, by the time you get this, I will have already left Kalokairi and checked into the Hotel Deliades on the mainland. I really didn't want to go, but thought it'd be best for you and the children." She paused, to check the expression on Donna's face, before carrying on. "I'll keep this brief, as not to upset you, but I couldn't just go without telling you how I feel… Donna, I'm still at a total loss as how this has happened and knowing that I'm never going to hold you in my arms again, is breaking my heart." Rosie paused again, noticing the tears forming in Donna's green eyes. "Do you want me to stop honey?"

Feeling Tanya give her hand a tight squeeze, Donna shook her head. "No, carry on." She replied in almost a whisper and then taking a deep breath to hold back the tears.

"I have loved you from the minute I first met you and although I messed it all up between us in the beginning, my life only really started on the day we got married." Rosie continued, after pacing the floor once more. "From the second you said 'I do' in the chapel, you have made me the happiest man on the planet and the love I hold for you in my heart is indescribable darling. It has always been there and it always will be, no matter what you say or do."

The tears were now silently cascading down Donna's face and Rosie stopped reading when she noticed this. She too had tears trickling down her cheeks and even the normally tough Tanya looked as though she would start crying at any moment. Sam's words were simple and heartfelt, making a beeline directly for Donna's shattered heart. The Dynamos hoped that their best friend would listen and realise that she was indeed making a huge mistake by going through with divorcing the only man she'd ever loved.

Looking back down at the letter, Rosie carried on reading it out. "What I'm trying to say, is that I could never love anyone else, even half as much as I love you. You are my one and only Donna." She paused again, this time to pull a tissue out of her pocket and wipe her tears. "On top of everything else, you have given me the two greatest gifts of all, our beautiful children and for that, I will never forget all you sacrificed for them. You are a wonderful mother and have been a perfect wife. If it's something I've done to cause all this, then I want you to know how truly sorry I am… Like I said last night, I hope now you can be happy… Forever, Sam." She finally finished, folding the letter up and placing it on the bed as she sat down.

The three women remained silent for a few moments and the only sound that broke this, was that of Donna's sniffles. She was now crying uncontrollably, as Tanya slid down from the arm of the chair, to snuggle up with her and hold her tight. If Sam was trying to make Donna feel horrible with his words, then it had had the desired effect. Donna did feel horrible, even though it was never her intention to hurt him. Maybe when everything was over and he had moved on with his life, then he'd understand why she did it.

"Donna, don't do this honey." Whispered Tanya, then placing a tender kiss on the side of her friend's head. "He loves you and no matter what you think, he needs you."

Taking a tissue from Rosie as she came over to join her, Donna wiped her tears away. "I have to." She responded, moving out of Tanya's arms and standing up. "It's too late for us now." She finished, walking over to the bed and picking up Sam's letter.

Walking over to the dressing table, Donna threw it into her purse next to the divorce papers and turned to her backup girls. "Can you two help Sophie with Max?" She asked, picking up her large purse and throwing it over her shoulder. "I have to get to the Lawyer's office."

Rosie nodded reluctantly. "What about Sophie? What are you going to tell her?" She asked, taking a seat next to Tanya on the armchair, as they both stared up at Donna.

"The truth." Answered Donna, before turning to walk over to the bedroom door and opening it. "I'll talk to her when I get back." She finished, then leaving her best friend's in her room as she collected the jeep keys from her desk on the way out of reception.

The drive down to the dock had been a blur for Donna. Her mind was racing and after boarding the ferry to the mainland, she had pulled out Sam's letter. Unfolding the crisp white paper, Donna had reread it and had found herself in tears once more. She could tell his words were sincere and what he had wrote had come straight from the heart, but knowing that only caused her further pain. Gripping onto the paper, until the ferry had docked, Donna had disembarked and started a slow walk into the town. Coming to a stop as the small cobbled street forked off in two different directions, she placed her purse over her shoulder and wrapped her arms around herself. It was as though Donna was facing her destiny. One street lead to her Lawyer's office and the other ultimately lead to the hotel where her husband was staying.

Knowing she was early for her appointment, Donna went to sit outside a nearby café and ordered herself a coffee, when approached by a young waitress. She sat quietly and for the first time, found herself thinking about the conversations she'd had with her friends over the past few days. There was one thing that stuck out in her mind and that was what Tanya had said about how she'd feel knowing Sam was with another woman… The thought of it made her stomach churn. Sam had been the perfect lover, in fact the best she'd ever had. Now, thinking about him making love to someone else, made her not only nauseous, but jealous as well. Visions of her husband in bed with another woman came crashing into her head; them touching one another, his lips on hers, him slowly entering her and the powerful rhythmic movements of his hips, as he made her moan his name… _For fuck sake, stop it, _Donna scolded herself, resting her elbows on the table and holding her head in her hands.

Now other questions were flowing freely through her mind… _Can I really live without him? Will he actually get over this and move on? Is it fair for me to do this, without actually explaining things to him?… Am I making the biggest fucking mistake of my whole life? _Donna asked herself, as she sipped on her black coffee and wiped her tears once again.

"I can't do it." Donna whispered to herself, grabbing her purse as she stood up and threw some money down on the table to pay for her drink.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Donna started to walk up the cobbled street towards Sam's hotel. Her heart was pounding so hard, it felt like it was going to break through her ribcage at any minute. She had been so stupid and so stubborn, but now the thought of actually losing Sam forever made her realise she couldn't do it. He had said she was the love of his life and for Donna, it was the same too. Sam had been the only man she had ever loved, the father of her two children and the one she had been destined to be with forever. There was no time to waste, it was time to get her husband back.

After telling the lady on reception, that her husband was staying there and was expecting her, Donna was told his room number. The ride in the elevator seemed to take forever to reach the fifth floor and the long walk down the brightly lit corridor took even longer. Donna's hands were shaking and the palms were damp, as she came to a standstill outside his room. She took a deep calming breath, raising her hand and pausing for a few seconds before summoning up the courage to knock. A minute or so later, the door slowly opened and she came face to face with Sam. He looked a little shocked to see her standing there, but opened the door wider to let her in.

"I didn't expect to see you." Said Sam, turning his back on Donna and walking over to the bed to close down the top of his laptop. "Did I forget to sign one of the papers or something?" He asked, then moving the computer off the bed and placing it on the nightstand.

Donna walked over to the bed and slowly sat down on the edge. "No, you signed everything." She replied, placing her bag down on the floor at her feet. "I read your letter Sam. I think we need to talk." She added, looking up at her husband as he walked over to the mini-bar and pulled out a bottle of vodka.

Pouring them both a drink, Sam took a sip of his and handed the other glass to Donna. "Now you want to talk?" He responded, his tone somewhat cold and emotionless. "Maybe we should have talked before I was told to stay in New York and before you decided what we had wasn't worth fighting for."

She knew she'd hurt him. She'd really hurt him. Sam wasn't his usual self and Donna couldn't blame him. She had been a bitch and instead of loving him the way she should have, she'd pushed him away. He was right, they should have talked things through before it got to this point, but Donna being Donna and with her stubbornness taking over, she had been the one calling all the shots. So far, Sam hadn't had a say in the matter. He had been told what was going to happen and was expected to give up everything and simply go along with it.

Downing the contents of her glass in one, Donna stood up and walked over to where the bottle of booze was sitting. "Sam you're right, I know that but I really need you to listen." She said, pouring herself another drink and placing the bottle back down. "I know that I've been unbearable to live with since having Max and I know you have done everything you could to support me…But I…I pushed you away."

"Donna I…" Said Sam, sitting down on the end of the bed and staring down into his drink.

"No Sam, please let me finish. This is hard enough." Said Donna, stopping her husband from saying what he wanted to say. "I pushed you away because I felt like I was drowning and I didn't want to take you down with me." She continued, now feeling the tears spilling from her eyes. "I loved you too much to do that to you… And that's why I thought the separation was the best option for us. It was then… I realised that…" She trailed off, feeling a knot raising in her throat when she thought about it.

Standing up, Sam walked over to pour himself another vodka. He sipped it, as he turned his head to gaze at Donna, who had been standing with her back to him. Noticing her tears, Sam felt a pang of guilt twist in his gut, when he knew he'd been so cold with her. She had made the first move, to come here and talk to him and for that he was grateful, even though she had broken his heart. Taking Donna's arm, Sam guided her back to sit on the edge of the bed, before her trembling legs gave way on her. He sighed as he took a seat next to her and sipped on his drink.

"You realised what Donna?… That you didn't love me any more?" Asked Sam, still trying to get his head around what his wife was trying to say.

Shaking her head, Donna ran her finger round the top of her glass. "No Sam, not at all… That's when I realised just how much I loved you." She replied, wiping away her flowing tears with the back of her hand. "I loved you, yet I was treating you like shit and I hated myself for that. You had been nothing but the best husband a woman could want and I had ruined it all with my stupid mood swings."

Pausing to take a long sip of her drink, Donna couldn't look Sam in the eye. She was staring down at the floor, feeling somewhat relieved that she was finally getting everything off her chest. If she looked up at Sam, she knew she would fully break down and then there would be no way she could continue explaining her actions. Sam was quiet, just listening to her tell him everything. It was all he had wanted since Donna had sprang the divorce on him. He had needed answers and now he was getting them, even though it hurt to see his wife so upset.

"Being apart from you, was hard, so hard, but I kept telling myself it was going to be okay." Said Donna in a quiet tone, as she carried on explaining and starring down at the floor. "I know you'll probably think it sounds stupid but… I figured that if I divorced you, then you could move on and find someone else that could make you happier than I could."

Sam shook his head, as he took in everything his wife was saying. "Donna, that's just crazy. There is no one else that could make me happier than you do." He answered, wiping away his own tears that were now falling down his cheeks. "Like I said in the letter, you are my one and only. The only woman I have ever loved and the only one I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"See, I knew you wouldn't understand." Said Donna, standing up to go and pour herself another drink to steady her frayed nerves. "I did it for you Sam. You and only you."

Standing up, Sam walked to Donna's side and placed his glass down on top of the mini-bar. "I understand that part… But by doing that, have you made yourself happy?" He then asked, hooking his finger under his wife's chin and turning her head up to face him.

Finally meeting Sam's gaze, Donna stared deep into his teary eyes and thought about his question. It didn't take her long to find the answer and staring into her husband's eyes now, she knew what he was getting at. She slowly raised her hand and tenderly placed it over his as it rested on her jaw line. Just that small connection between them, caused the tiny hairs on her neck to stand on end and her heart to slowly rise from where it had been residing in bottom of her stomach. Sam trailed his thumb over one of Donna's high cheekbones, capturing her falling tears and wiping them away for her.

"No I haven't made myself happy." Donna finally replied in a whisper, as she continued to gaze into Sam's eyes. "Far from it… I'm thoroughly miserable." She added, now closing her eyes as even more hot tears escaped her.

"Oh Donna." Sam whispered, closing his own eyes and resting his forehead against hers. "So am I sweetheart."

It was Sam's last words that hit it home for Donna. What she thought had been the right thing to do, had actually had the reverse effect. Instead of making Sam happy to be free from their marriage, she had actually made him just as upset as her. She had messed up big time and nearly ruined everyone's lives in the process, not only hers and Sam's, but their children's too. They were here together now and both of them knew it was their final chance to make things right between them once more. It was make or break for the Carmichael's.

Slowly pulling away from her husband's touch, Donna opened her eyes and thought for a few moments. There was something she had to do. Something she had to do to prove to Sam, that she did still love him as much as she always had. Walking over to her purse, that was sat on the floor by the bed, Donna reached in and pulled out the official divorce papers. Sam turned and looked at her, as she slowly walked back over to him. His vision was blurred by his tears, but as he wiped his eyes, he soon realised what she had in her hands. Now standing a few feet apart, Donna swallowed softly and now staring into Sam's eyes, she held the papers out and ripped them in half. She let go of the now torn pieces of paper and let them flutter to the floor of the hotel suite.

"I love you Sam." Donna whispered, feeling herself shaking as Sam slowly walked towards her. "I can't let you go."

Gently pulling his wife into his arms, Sam brought his hand to a rest on her neck. "I love you too Donna. Just as I always have." He whispered in response, running his thumb across her jaw line and guiding her lips towards his.

He kissed her softly, feeling her body instantly relax in his arms. Donna responded to Sam's kiss, feeling the softness of his lips on hers and realising how much she had missed him. Things remained slow and tender between the couple, with Sam sweeping his tongue over his wife's lower lip and sliding it in fully to meet hers when she granted him access. Donna ran her hands through Sam's hair, then trailed her fingertips down his neck, on the way to his t-shirt. She ran her hands downwards, taking in the contours of his toned stomach muscles under the cotton fabric and stopped when she reached the hemline.

"I've missed you so much." Donna whispered, after breaking from their kiss and gazing into his gorgeous dark blue eyes. "So much." She added, gathering the t-shirt in her grip and sliding it up Sam's stomach.

Sam raised his arms and allowed his wife to pull his t-shirt off completely, revealing his bare chest to her. Within a few seconds, Sam had returned the favour and relieved Donna of hers too. Their kisses then resumed, as Donna got to work on her husband's belt buckle and trousers, unzipping them to free him. Feeling Donna's hands on his bare flesh, turned Sam on at an alarming rate and it wasn't long before they were both completely naked in one another's arms. Walking his wife back towards the bed, Sam made sure his lips never left hers the whole time, even as he laid her gently back onto the huge queen-size bed. He was pressed against her, resting between her parted legs and Donna could feel the tip of his solid erection brushing against the entrance of her womanhood. They were still kissing passionately, as Sam slid his hand under the feminine dip of her back and moved her further up the bed, so her head could rest against the luxury pillows.

Reluctantly breaking from their kiss, Sam gazed into his wife's ocean green eyes. "You're sure you want this?" He asked in a whisper, resting on his elbow and reaching round to unclip her hair.

"More than anything." Whispered Donna in response to his question, shaking her long blonde hair out and then cupping his face in her hands.

Guiding her husband back towards her lips, Donna wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with fiery passion. Sam felt Donna then part her legs further, giving him permission to enter her. Sliding his hand down between their bodies, Sam did just that. He heard Donna gasp into his mouth, as he guided his manhood into her and experienced the sensation of her dragging her nails down his back. Closing her eyes, Donna felt her husband filling her up and their bodies begin to move in perfect time with one another's. It was slow and controlled, with the pair of them moaning quietly as Sam pushed himself deeper into her with every thrust.

It was as though they had never been parted. Their lovemaking felt so right and brought them back together as one. When hands started wandering, things between the Carmichael's became even more intense and Sam quickened the movements of his hips, to meet his wife's obvious sexual needs. They were moaning into each other's mouths, teasing each other with flicks of their tongues and knowing just what they were doing to one another. Donna needed more. She needed to feel every inch of her husband inside her wet, aroused womanhood and pushing her towards her much anticipated climax. Spreading her legs even further apart, Donna knew her next move would achieve just that.

"Hmmmmm." Sam moaned in between flicks of his tongue, feeling himself being guided deeper into Donna's most feminine place.

The Carmichael's breathing was getting shallower and their hungry kisses, getting more urgent with each passing lustful minute. Pulling away from Donna's lips, Sam breathed some much needed air into his lungs and continued his now powerful thrusts within her. Their hot bodies were beginning to perspire, as they writhed in unison on the expensive hotel sheets beneath them. Donna closed her eyes once more, feeling Sam taking one of her rock hard nipples into his mouth and grazing his teeth along it, causing her a mixture of pain and pleasure. She groaned loudly, as he repeated the torturous process with the other, before plunging his mouth fully around it and circling it with his exploring tongue.

Now raising her legs and sliding them up to rest around Sam's waist, Donna was lost in the moment. "Oh god." She groaned loudly, roughly running her hand through his hair and using the other, to grab onto the ornate, wrought iron headboard.

She was trying to hold herself in position, as her husband pumped away inside her with animalistic force and continued his erotic oral stimulation on her breasts. Feeling herself getting extremely close to the brink of her climax, Donna's head began to thrash from side to side on the pillow. Sam could sense it to, with the way Donna was meeting him thrust for thrust and not being able to control her hips as they left the bed below her. With her back beginning to arch off the bed too, Donna had gone beyond the point of no return and Sam stopped what he was doing with his mouth, to watch her facial expressions change. He loved to watch her in the throws of passion and watch the beads of perspiration trickle from her forehead, knowing he had worked her up to it.

With her back arched in such a way, Sam felt his solid member move even deeper into Donna's womanhood, hitting something he knew would transport her to undeniable ecstasy. He had reached her g-spot and knew she would be coming in only a matter of seconds. Donna was moaning loudly, every time her husband thrust as deep as he could into her and the familiar tingling in her lower body started to mount in intensity. With her husband's next three thrusts, she was there. Calling out, nearly to the point of screaming, Donna's orgasm tore through her at lightening speed. Her body was shuddering hard against Sam's, telling him he could now let himself go too. Grabbing his wife's hands, as she placed them at the side of her head, Sam entwined his fingers through hers and embraced his own powerful orgasm. He ground to a stop, as both he and Donna gasped at the sensation of him ejaculating within her, giving her everything he had after a month apart.

Fighting to get air into his lungs, Sam stared into Donna's eyes and continued his hold on her hands. "My god, how could you ever think I'd need anyone but you?" He managed to whisper breathlessly, still inside her and feeling her legs relax to his sides.

"I don't know." Donna whispered in response, her chest heaving through sheer exhaustion. "But I'm so sorry for hurting you baby… I love you, I really do."

Placing his lips against his wife's, Sam gently bit down on her lower lip after kissing her tenderly. "I love you too Mrs. Carmichael." He answered, carefully withdrawing from her and moving to lay at her side.

Donna had tears in her eyes once more, as she moved to lay in the crook of her husband's arm. He wrapped his arm around her, holding her tight and staring up at the ceiling. They were both quiet for quite some time, just enjoying the closeness of being together once more and subconsciously trailing their hands over one another's sweat drenched bodies, as if trying to remember if everything was still the same. Finally moving her head, Donna peered up at her handsome husband and smiled sweetly as he instantly met her gaze. Sam smiled back at her, knowing exactly what she was thinking about… They were back, with everything out in the open and nothing else to do to confirm their love to each other. The lovemaking had been amazing, just like it had always been between them, right from the very beginning.

"Are you happy?" Asked Sam, stroking Donna's golden hair away from her damp forehead and tightening his hold on her.

Smiling, Donna reached up and placed her hand on Sam's cheek. "So happy." She replied simply, shifting positions so she could give her husband a slow, passionate and appreciative kiss on his alluring lips.

* * *

A.N. Well there ya go hunnies… you got your wish, Mr. & Mrs. C are back together! Hehehe.. Be nice and let me know what you think (especially the few people that have recently added this story to their favourites) lol, I know who you areeeeeeeeeee! Joke! .. Will try my best to get something up for you ASAP… Loads of love, Liv x

P.S. longest chapter peeps… see I spoil you! Haha x


	18. Chapter 18 What Is It?

N.B. HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL! Hope 2010 is a good one for everyone (me included, last year was a BITCH! Hahaha) …Well, as usual , mwahs for all your FABULOUS reviews darlings! Glad you're all still enjoying thee Carmichael dramas haha… M & V, smooch babes!

* * *

Chapter 18 What Is It?

* * *

With the glitch in the Carmichael marriage finally sorted and Sam's return to Kalokairi making everyone happy again, things had soon started to feel normal once more. After their making up, Donna and Sam had promised to never let things get so bad between them, that they found they couldn't talk to one another anymore. It had been a lack of communication that had very nearly ruined everything and on top of that, the lack of time the couple had spent together since the birth of their son. With the help of the Dynamos, the Carmichael's made sure they spent at least one evening a week together, with no baby and no distractions. It was their 'date night' and the perfect opportunity to talk about whatever was on their minds. It hadn't all been plain sailing, but things were vastly improving and had Donna trying hard to work on her stubborn streak. Whenever they sensed tension in the air, or an argument about to unfold, both Sam and Donna simply walked away to cool off, before the situation escalated further. Nine times out of ten, it worked, with the couple always making up in the best way they knew how… In the bedroom. Things in _that _department had greatly improved too, since the birth of their youngest child. Sam had taken his time, staying patient with his wife and going as slow as she needed, although he needn't have bothered. Having her husband back on the island and back in her bed, Donna had soon found her missing sex drive. In fact, it had come back with gusto, keeping Sam on his toes whilst trying to keep up with her newfound sexual appetite.

Christmas had been and gone, along with the New Year celebrations and now the next event circled on the calendar, was little Max Carmichael's first birthday. It had been agreed, that they would have a small family party for the small tot and generally spoil him rotten, making up for the lost time, when his parents had been separated. There hadn't been much to plan, but as the day quickly approached, Donna noticed her husband in private talks with her best friends on a few occasions. Her suspicion had instantly been aroused, yet when she questioned any of them about it, she was met with a wall of hushed silence. They were definitely up to something, but what exactly, Donna didn't know. She hated being left out of the loop with her backup girls, but what she hated more, was the thought of her husband keeping things from her too.

Walking into the bedroom, after settling Max down for the night, Donna found Sam sat on the bed with his laptop. "Working at this time?" She said, closing the door behind her and walking over to the bed, before kicking off her pumps.

Looking up at his wife, Sam smiled at her. "No, I've finished now darling." He replied, closing down the top of his computer. "Did Max go down alright?" He then asked, watching Donna climbing onto the bottom of the bed and crawling on her hands and knees towards him.

She was moving slowly, biting her lower lip and staring him straight in the eye. Taking his laptop off the bed, Sam placed it on the nightstand, to make room for his gorgeous wife. He turned back to face her, instantly capturing that glint in her eye, that he'd missed so much during their temporary separation. Donna was still moving slowly and trying not to giggle when she realised her husband was now staring right down the front of her dress. Sam smirked, when she finally reached him, sliding onto his lap and sitting astride him.

"Max is fast asleep." Donna said quietly, gazing deeply into Sam's twinkling eyes and wrapping her arms around his neck. "It's just you and me baby." She continued, planting a delicate kiss on his lips. "No distractions." She finished, placing another kiss on his lips.

Snaking his arms around his wife's slim waist, Sam's smile grew wider. "Oh really?" He asked, feeling himself becoming aroused at her seductive tone of voice.

"Really." Donna answered, shifting positions slightly, so she could feel Sam's fast growing arousal pressing between her legs, confirming that what she was doing, was most definitely working. "But… There's just one thing I need to know…" She paused, to give him another kiss, this time gently biting his lower lip as she pulled away. "Before I let you slowly undress me..."

"This is getting interesting." Sam said, feeling himself getting harder for her by the second, as he peered down at her cleavage and then back into her green eyes. "Tell me more… In detail." He added, wiggling his eyebrows at her and tightening his grip around her waist.

Licking her lips, Donna knew for a fact her husband was unbelievably turned on. "Before I let you delicately kiss your way up my inner thigh… Before you work me hard with that _fantastic _tongue of yours…" She carried on, her tone low and drawn out, as she kept up her teasing kisses. "Before I beg you to make me come… And before I return the favour…" She said, her voice almost down to a whisper, as she kissed him once more, this time trailing the tip of her tongue across the entrance of his mouth. "With a mind blowing blowjob." She finally finished, raising an eyebrow as she stared into his now glazed eyes.

"Jesus Christ Donna." Sam whispered, tightening his hold once more around his wife's waist and feeling the throbbing between his legs intensify. "What do you want to know?"

Throwing her head back, Donna let out a raucous laugh. It hadn't taken much to convince her husband to spill the beans on his little secret. Now all she had to do was make sure he delivered, before she'd make good on her dirty little proposition. If Sam knew what was good for him, he would tell her, as he knew he couldn't take her teasing for very long. He was a red-blooded male after all and as Donna had discovered way back in the day, men often thought with what was in their pants, not their heads. If anything, placing her cards on the table, with an offer of oral, would surely secure the deal. Tanya had been forthcoming with that wealth of information, telling her best friends years ago, that if all else failed, 'trouser kisses' were the secret weapon to use.

"I want to know what you and the Dynamos are up to." Said Donna, still sitting astride her husband and staring intensely into his dark blue eyes. "I've seen you plotting something and I want to know what it is."

Nodding, Sam smiled at his wife. "Oh you do?" He asked, sliding his hands from her waist, down to her rear. "Well what if I told you we're not plotting anything?" He added, giving her a gentle squeeze and watching her narrowing her eyes at him.

"Then I'd say you're a fucking liar honey." Replied Donna, making Sam laugh at her response. "So are you going to tell me?" She then asked, sliding her hand down between their bodies and quickly grabbing hold of Sam's manhood through his jeans. "Or do I need to force it out of you?" She finished, tilting her head to one side and raising her eyebrows as he winced.

"Be as forceful as you want darling, but there is nothing going on for you to worry about." Sam said, clearing his throat and throwing his wife down on the bed next to him. "I can assure you." He added, staring into her eyes, as he ran his hand up under her dress.

Slowly nodding her head, Donna grabbed hold of Sam's hand and sat up. "Right then. If that's the way you want to play it Carmichael…" She said, getting off the bed and instantly taking her dress off, followed by her underwear. "Then I'm going for a hot bath…alone." She finished, walking naked into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

Laughing, Sam shook his head at his wife's sulking. "Does that mean sex is off the agenda darling?" He asked loudly, taking his laptop off the nightstand, so he could carry on working.

"COMPLETELY!" Donna shouted back from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, we'll see about that." Sam muttered under his breath, as he started to tap away on his keyboard and listened to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

Donna had been right, he and her two best friends had been planning something behind her back, but Sam wasn't about to divulge any details about it just yet. His wife had played a good game with her promise of sexual favours and Sam had been exceptionally close to breaking. Although planning Max's small birthday party hadn't taken long, the other thing Sam had planned, took a while longer. After talking to the Dynamos, Sam had run an idea by them and they jumped at the chance to help him carry it off. Once his wife had got over being in a mood with him, Sam knew she'd love the surprise he had for her, or at least he hoped she would.

*************

Stepping out the bath, Donna dried her relaxed body and wrapped the towel around herself. She then proceeded to brush her teeth and apply her nightly ritual of moisturiser in the mirror, when Sam appeared behind her. He was now just in his tight fitting Calvin Klein boxers, which accentuated his already impressive package and was he was stood staring at her through the reflection. Donna was still annoyed that he hadn't told her anything and she did have all intentions of withholding sex, but looking at his muscular body now, she could feel herself slowly weakening… There was something about his toned contours, that awoke Donna from the inside; visions of the way her husband's muscles tensed when he held her close, seeing the sweat trickling down his abs during lovemaking, or his strength when he pinned her against the shower wall, driving into her with his solid length… _Stop it, _Donna scolded herself, quickly snapping her out of the highly arousing thoughts.

"Excuse me." Sam said quietly, walking over to press himself up against Donna, as he leant past her to get his toothbrush.

Donna remained silent, narrowing her eyes at her handsome husband, before moving to the side to allow him to use the wash basin. It was fairly obvious what he was trying to do to her and Donna quite enjoyed just looking at his impressive physique, her mind instantly wandering back to her naughty thoughts. Finishing getting ready for bed, Sam turned and gave his wife a cheeky wink. He was trying not to laugh, when he realised she was checking him out and her gaze was now fixated on the concealed bulge manhood.

"Well goodnight sweetheart." Said Sam, leaning forward to place a tender kiss on her cheek. "Sleep well." He finished, turning and walking back into the bedroom.

Following her husband into the bedroom, Donna watched him climbing into bed and turning out the light on his nightstand. He was playing hard to get and she was finding his aloofness rather sexy. Stood in the doorway, Donna let her towel fall from her body and made her way over to the bed, before climbing in next to her husband. Sam had his eyes closed as he laid on his back, but knew it would only be a matter of seconds before his wife made the first move. He was right. Donna slid her body on top of Sam's, causing him to open his eyes and grin at her.

"I thought you said sex was no go Mrs. Carmichael." Said Sam, sliding his hands down Donna's naked body and bringing them to a stop on her ass. "Or have you finished sulking with me now?"

Resting up on Sam's chest, Donna stared into his eyes. "Oh I'm still sulking with you, but that doesn't mean that I should deny myself an orgasm." She responded, pouting at him as she reached down for his underwear.

It didn't take Donna long to rid Sam of his boxer shorts and to reposition herself, as she kissed her way back up his toned torso. He was flinching each time she made contact with his skin and left a trail of wet, open mouthed kisses in her wake. There was no need for foreplay this time, the teasing earlier on had worked a treat for the pair of them and Donna knew exactly what she wanted. Pausing when she reached her husband's chest, Donna was in a playful mood, as she first circled one of his nipples with her tongue and then teasingly bit down on it. Sam yelped, his whole body jumping, causing his wife to start giggling, as she repeated the process on his other.

"Relax Samuel, this won't take long." Whispered Donna, now turning her attention to his lips. "Not long at all." She added barely audible, as she eased herself slowly onto her husband's solid erection.

They both emitted a pleasurable moan, as Donna paused to allow herself to accommodate Sam's length and then began to move her hips at a fast pace. She was in no mood to be taking things slow like they had been doing lately, she was wanting to get her satisfaction as soon as she could. Sam wasn't complaining in the slightest, he was thoroughly enjoying his beautiful wife taking the lead and transporting him towards his own climax in the process. Working him hard, Donna was starting to lose control at an alarming rate, with the beads of perspiration already forming on her hot body, she sat upright and pushed herself harder onto her husband's penis. They were both moaning in unison, as Sam's hands explored his wife's curvaceous figure and he paused to cup her pert, firm breasts in his hands. Donna felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up, as Sam caressed her the way she loved and urged her to up the pace once more.

"Do you like that Sam?" Whispered Donna breathlessly, grinding herself faster against her husband and hearing his moans get louder as she did.

Grabbing Donna's hips, to keep her in the right position, Sam groaned. "Hell yeah." He managed to reply, feeling her pelvic muscles starting to grip around his length, from top to bottom. "Don't…Stop."

A small smirk came to Donna's face, as she carried on what she was doing and it wasn't long before she started to feel the familiar stirrings of her mounting orgasm. With a few more strategic hip movements, she was there. She reached an earth shattering climax, almost screaming as she came and slowed her movements down. Normally she would have carried on, easing her husband straight into his, but tonight, Donna had other ideas. Sam had been close, but opened his eyes when his wife came to a complete stop and he found her grinning at him.

"Told you it wouldn't take long honey." Said Donna, feeling Sam's erection throbbing desperately for release within her. "Well… Goodnight." She continued, watching his jaw drop in disbelief, as she carefully eased herself off him and rolled to his side. "Oh and feel free to take yourself to the bathroom, if you're not quite satisfied sweetheart."

Trying so hard not to burst out laughing, Donna laid on her stomach and let out a dramatic satisfied sigh, as she made herself comfortable. Sam laid there for a few seconds, in total shock at what his wife had just done. In an instant, Donna had turned the tables on him and only used him to get what she wanted. He never expected her to do that, but one thing was for sure, he wasn't going to let her get one over on him. Sitting up, Sam looked down at his wife and saw her body shaking, as she silently giggled into her pillow. He smirked, shaking his head and then pulled the covers off her, to expose her perfect body to him.

"Oh you think that's funny do you?" Asked Sam, then tracing his fingertips down the curve of Donna's spine and over the mound of her rear. "Now you're going to pay woman." He continued, forcefully parting her legs and moving himself in between them.

Turning her head, Donna groaned loudly, as her husband roughly entered her from behind. Pressing his weight against her, Sam felt his wife's body submit to him, as he began his powerful thrusts within her tight womanhood. Donna was soon moaning again, raising her ass to meet Sam's strong hip movements and finding herself unbelievably turned on by his forceful behaviour. She knew he wouldn't let her get away with it and deep down, she'd hoped that he wouldn't either. Sliding his hands under Donna's body, Sam took hold of her breasts and thrust even deeper into her. He was moaning, kissing his way across her shoulder blades, pausing now and then to whisper naughty things into her ear, making her moan in response to him.

"I'm not going to stop, until I hear you scream." Whispered Sam, seeing his wife now closing her eyes and gasping for breath as he pushed even deeper into her warmth. "I won't stop until you've made me cum."

"Oh god…Oh god." Donna moaned over and over, feeling herself reaching another climax and fast.

Sam smiled to himself, removing his hands from his wife's breasts and reaching up to take her hands, that were gripping tightly to her pillow. He entwined his fingers through hers, upping the pace for the final time and feeling his erection now throbbing uncontrollably. With her hip movements meeting Sam's thrust for thrust, Donna felt a tidal wave of a climax rip through her for the second time tonight. She screamed, burying her face into her pillow in a desperate attempt to stifle the noise she was making. It was just as strong as the first and this time, her husband was right there with her. Sam called out his wife's name in a long continuous groan as he came, only seconds after her. With her body instantly relaxing, Donna took a few deep breaths to get air into her lungs and felt her husband quickly withdraw from her, rolling to her side to relieve her of his weight. She was now completely exhausted and Sam wasn't much better either, as he rested up on his elbow and peered down at his wife's heaving, perspiring body.

"I can't believe you were actually going to leave me like that." Said Sam, shaking his head, as Donna finally turned her head to peer up at him.

Reaching up, Donna trailed her fingers through Sam's chest hairs and pouted at him. "Aww poor baby, don't sulk. You got what you wanted didn't you?" She said teasingly, giggling as a smile then spread across his face.

"God you're a bitch sometimes." Answered Sam, springing forward and tickling his wife, making her scream. "But I like it." He added, laying down next to her and pulling her into his arms.

They both were giggling as they found their comfortable positions in one another's arms. Holding each other close, it wasn't long until both of them had fallen asleep, ready to wake up to another normal day at the villa. Little did Donna know, but Sam's surprise was soon to be revealed to her. Her plan of sexual seduction had well and truly failed, but nevertheless, they had both had fun even if she was none the wiser as to what her husband was up to.

***************

The next day around the villa went along as usual, with Donna checking out a few guests and leaving little Max in the care of the Dynamos, while she got on with the rest of her chores. Sam had left his wife in bed and slipped out earlier that morning, to run a few errands on the mainland. It wasn't until Donna passed the courtyard bar and glanced at the clock, that she realised her husband had been gone for hours and that he hadn't even called her. She smiled softly to herself, when her mind cast back to the night before and the way she had fallen asleep wrapped in Sam's strong, protective arms.

"And what are you smiling at Sheridan?" Asked Tanya, rounding the corner and finding Donna lost in a world of her own.

Snapping out of it, Donna turned her head towards her best friend and gave her a wink. "That would be telling." She replied smugly, as she tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Have you seen Sam around?"

Shaking her head, Tanya took a seat on one of the high stools at the bar. "Not since this morning honey, sorry." She answered, watching as her friend then walked behind the bar to get a chilled bottle of Chardonnay out of the fridge. "Didn't he tell you where he was going?"

"The mainland, but nothing more specific than that." Responded Donna, expertly opening the wine bottle and pouring out two large glasses of the pale liquid. "Now don't bullshit me Tan. He's up to something and _you _know what it is don't you?" She then asked, narrowing her green eyes suspiciously at the brunette sat in front of her.

Of course the Dynamo knew something, but she wasn't going to let anything slip now. It had taken her and Rosie all they had to keep things hidden from Donna, even though they were excited for their best friend. Sam had done everything so far regarding his surprise for his wife and had simply asked her best friends for advice along the way. They knew he wanted to make things up to Donna after their recent troubles with their marriage and his ideas, although simple, were perfectly romantic. A few more hours and all would be revealed to the inquisitive blonde, as long as the backup girls could keep her distracted.

Taking a long sip of her white wine, Tanya then slowly shook her head. "I know nothing." She replied, trying to sound convincing and trying not to start giggling at the same time. "I'm sure Sam will be back soon enough though."

"Hmmm." Donna responded, knowing she wasn't going to get anything out of her friend. "I'm sure he will." She added, also taking a long, thirst-quenching sip of her drink and checking the clock behind her, one more time.

Helping herself to a refill, Tanya shifted positions on her stool. "Anyway Don… Sophie has agreed to see to Max this evening, so you, Rosie and I, can have a girly night." She said, steering the subject away from Donna's missing husband. "We thought maybe a few bottles of wine, look through a few old photos, have a good old gossip… What do you say?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Donna placed her large wineglass down on the bar. "Sure, sounds fun." She answered with a smile, before her attention returned to the clock behind her. "And seeing as my bloody husband has been absent all day, he can help Soph out… A man free zone." She finished, grabbing her Chardonnay and taking a long refreshing sip.

Donna was far from impressed with her husband's actions and was grateful that she had the Dynamos around to take her mind off it. She could of course, call Sam's cell phone, but her stubborn streak wouldn't let her back down and after all, _he _should've called _her… What the hell are you up to Sam? You are soooo in the shithouse when you get home… Fucking men, _She thought to herself, as she poured her and Tanya another large glass of wine… All the sneakiness was getting too much for her to handle now and whatever her elusive husband had planned, Donna hoped it would be worth the trouble he was going to be in when he finally returned to the villa. Not only had she single-handedly done a full days work, she had hardly spent any time with her baby boy and it was already the day before his first birthday, with things still to prepare for his small party.

"I need to get a move on." Said Donna, then gulping down the last of her wine. "There's still the food to do for Max's party and then…"

"It's done." Tanya replied quickly, cutting her friend off before she could carry on. "Rosie started early this morning and everything's practically finished honey. You know what the Hermit's like once she's let loose in the kitchen… It was a blur of utensils and Tupperware, but that could be down to the fact that I was still drunk from last night." She continued, throwing her head back and laughing loudly, causing Donna to laugh too. "So relax, everything's under control."

Nodding her head, Donna smiled at the brunette. "Yeah, it seems so… Where's Rosie now?" She asked, walking back from behind the bar, wineglass in hand.

"With Sophie and the kids, down on the beach." Tanya replied, before peering down at her gold Rolex to check the time. "Why don't you go get cleaned up before we have dinner and the girly fun begins."

Placing her now empty glass down on the bar, Donna nodded. "I will, but I want to go see my babies first." She said, walking off towards the stone steps that lead to the beach. "See you soon."

*************

Later that evening, the three best friends were all sat on Donna's bed and reminiscing over the 'good old days'. The wine was flowing, as were the tears of laughter, as Donna and the Dynamos looked back through the photo albums, crammed full with pictures of their colourful pasts. Sam had returned a short while earlier and after walking through the deserted courtyard, he had heard the sounds of raucous laughter, drifting through the open shutters of their room above. Stopping at the bar, he collected a bottle of expensive Champagne and two glasses, before heading down to the beach below the villa. Checking the time, Sam got to work on putting his plan into action, knowing the Dynamos would be sending his wife his way soon.

Taking a sip of her wine, Donna noticed that Rosie kept glancing at the time nervously. It was then, she realised that this little 'get together', had somehow been part of her husband's plan to keep her distracted, while he got up to god knows what. Standing up steadily, as the drink had gone to her head, Donna turned to stare down at her two best friends. Both Tanya and Rosie stared back, trying to keep straight faces, as the alcohol started to effect them too. They knew the blonde was onto them, but neither wanted to give the game away too soon. It was nearly time to send her on her way, so all could be revealed by Sam and all they had to do, was keep Donna preoccupied for a few more minutes.

"Okay you two. What is it? What the fuck is going on?" Asked Donna, her words slightly slurred, as she placed one hand on her slender hip and the other held tightly to her half filled wineglass. "This whole girls night thing, has something to do with Sam going walkabouts today… And don't try and fob me off with some feeble excuse, that you two wanted a reason to get drunk and have fun, because you certainly don't need me to do that." She continued, as her two best friends started to giggle quietly at her.

Standing up, Rosie walked over to Donna. "Will you just calm down love. We can't tell you what's going on because it's a surprise." She said in a soothing voice and smiling at her best friend. "In fact…" She added, glancing round at the clock on the nightstand for the hundredth time. "If you make your way down to the beach, your ever so romantic husband will be there to reveal all."

"Oh really?" Donna responded, instantly calming down and shifting her weight from one foot to the other, as she stared at her backup girls.

"Really." Answered Tanya now smirking, as she stood from her comfy seat on the bed. "Now get out of here and have fun." She finished, taking the wineglass out of her friends hand and shooing her out the bedroom.

Smiling to herself, Donna walked barefooted down the stairs and out into night breeze that blew through the courtyard. She had been so mad at her husband for leaving her for the whole day, but now with a mixture of feeling a tad tipsy and butterflies of excitement circling the pit of her stomach, Donna's anger quickly subsided. Walking cautiously down the uneven stone steps towards the beach, she couldn't hear anything except the ocean crashing violent against the rocky shoreline. It wasn't until Donna reached the bottom step, that she paused upon finding Sam waiting for her. He looked so handsome under the moonlight, his eyes twinkling brightly as he walked towards her with his sexy smile. Donna closed her eyes briefly, as her husband leant in close and placed a tender kiss on her cheek, after she'd turned her head from him.

"Don't be mad at me darling." Whispered Sam, pausing by his wife's ear. "This is for you." He added, handing her the beautiful pink rose he'd been holding behind his back.

Taking it from him, Donna inhaled it's sweet scent. "Thank you." She said quietly, then gazing deeply into his dark blue eyes. "So are you going to tell me where you've been all day? Or am I left with just thinking you've been up to no good?"

Smiling at his wife's apparent coolness with him, Sam held out his hand to her. "I had to tie up a few loose ends… Walk with me." He replied, as Donna reluctantly took his hand and began to walk along the beach with him.

The night air was cool, yet bearable and as usual, there was no one else in sight on the private stretch of sand below the hotel. Donna soon realised that they were heading in the direction of their 'spot' and that her husband was slowing down, as they approached the huge rock face that overlooked it. He brought them to a complete stop and turned to face his wife once more. Smiling at the confused expression on her beautiful face, Sam couldn't resist the urge to lean in to place a delicate kiss on her soft lips.

"There's something I want to ask you sweetheart." Sam said in almost a whisper, after pulling away and staring into Donna's ocean green eyes.

"Okay." Donna responded slowly, still confused as to what was going on. "What is it?" She asked, feeling her body tense a little, as she swallowed softly.

Smiling, Sam took his wife's hand once more and helped her up onto the rocks with him. "That." He answered simply, pointing down to the sand below in their special spot.

Donna turned her head to see what he was talking about and gasped quietly, when she saw what Sam had done. He had obviously been busy, strategically placing small white pebbles on the beach, to spell something out for his wife. Once it had registered, Donna couldn't help but let out a small giggle at what he was asking her… _'MARRY ME…AGAIN?'… _It was short, to the point and delivered in the most romantic way Donna could have dreamed of. Now all he anger of her husband and best friends sneaking around, had well and truly dissolved, leaving Donna with a wonderful floaty feeling in her chest. Turning round, she found her husband smiling up at her whilst down on one knee. He was holding out her Tiffany engagement ring, that she hadn't worn since her dramatic weight loss and it had become too big for her.

"Will you marry me all over again?" Sam asked, as his wife held out her hand, for him to slide the resized solitaire onto her finger.

Biting her lower lip, Donna smiled back at him. "I don't knowwww… Can I at least think about it?" She answered, causing Sam's jaw to drop open. "I'm joking Samuel… I'd _love _to do it all over again." She continued, beckoning him with her finger.

Standing up, Sam instantly wrapped his arms around his wife's slim waist and pulled her close for a kiss. Donna responded, throwing her arms around Sam's neck, meeting his powerful kiss with equal force. Her body melted against his, warming her cool body almost immediately. They stayed in the tight embrace for quite a while, enjoying the closeness and their private moment together in the place where it had all started over twenty years previous. Finally parting, Sam traced his thumb over Donna's cheek, where tears of joy had started to fall from her eyes. He had made her happy, just like she had made him the happiest man alive, the day she married him the first time round.

"I love you Mrs. Carmichael." Sam whispered, then placing yet another sweet kiss on his wife's perfect lips.

Smiling back at him, Donna placed her hand over his on her cheek. "I love you too honey. So much." She replied, falling into his arms once more to rest her head on his broad chest.

She did love him, more than ever. It was the gestures like these, that made Donna fall in love with Sam, all over again. He was sweet, caring and never failed to amaze her with his crazy spontaneity. The unbelievable amount of love she held in her heart for him, had been there ever since they'd first met in Paris and it wasn't until Sam returned to Greece just over two years ago, that he'd managed to unearth her deeply buried feelings for him. Although she'd never be the one to admit it, Donna _had_ needed that 'middle-aged, menopausal man' in her life and now she had him, everything just seemed to fall into place.

Little did Donna know, the second part of her husband's surprise was going to become clear to her the next morning. Sam didn't want to give it away too soon. He wanted to enjoy his precious alone time with his gorgeous wife, before things got rather hectic around the villa the next day. The Dynamos had been a big help with the planning of everything and Sam couldn't be more grateful to his wife's best friends. They of course, wouldn't have had it any other way. If it meant helping their friend keep her marriage on the straight and narrow after the Carmichael's little stumble, then the backup girls would do whatever it took.

* * *

A.N. Hope you liked it hunnies?… Let me know though hehe, if you want more… Gonna try my best to update the other story, before I go to New York next week.. So yeah, I'm going AWOL againnnnn! Haha.. Loads of love, Liv x


	19. Chapter 19 More Surprises!

N.B. Well, I'm back! Lol .. Hope ya didn't miss me too much hehe… Anyway, on with the next chapter of the sequel (can't believe we're at chapter 19 already!)… As always, for my Dynamos, I missed ya girls x Sending you a HUGE MS/SB kiss!! Hahaha (v, smoocK!) xxx Thank you for the few messages from readers, requesting either a 'Stummer' story or a Tanya/Pepper story.. I will see what I can do, leave it with me! If anyone else has a request, please let me know too (I am writing for you all, so let me know what you want to see) xxx

* * *

Chapter 19 More Surprises!

* * *

With the sound of the distant ocean crashing against the rocky shoreline, Sam slowly stirred and opened his eyes to find the morning sun filtering through the open shutters. It was January and still warm, making him feel happy to be on the island of Kalokairi, rather than in the midst of a freezing cold winter back in New York. He turned carefully onto his side and came face to face with his beautiful wife. Donna was already awake, smiling at him, as baby Max slept snuggled up to her… _After Sam's romantic proposal on the beach the previous night, Donna had wanted to take the champagne back up to their room and carry on the celebrations in private. Max, on the other hand, had other ideas for his parents. Just as things were progressing nicely for the Carmichael's, their small son decided to wake and scream the villa down, until he got their attention. Knowing her son was restless through teething, Donna returned with him to the bedroom and smiled apologetically at her husband, as she placed a whimpering Max down in the bed between them. That was when the planned night of unbridled passion, had been brought to a sudden end…_

Reaching out, Sam gently stroked his thumb across his wife's prominent cheekbone. "Good morning gorgeous." He whispered, as not to wake his sleeping son. "You look tired."

"That's because I am… This little monkey kept me awake most of the night, while _you_ slept on _oblivious_." Whispered Donna, peering down at Max and gently stroking his soft dark hair. "I can't believe he's a year old today. Where's the time gone?" She asked smiling softly, as she peered back up at her husband.

"I don't know darling, but they're not babies for long." Replied Sam, watching as Donna expertly moved their son away from her, so she could get out of bed.

Watching his wife head towards the bathroom, Sam smiled at the sight of her dark green nightdress, skimming dangerously close just under her naked rear. The bright sunlight was bouncing off her long blonde waves and silhouetted her perfect figure, as she quietly closed the bathroom door behind her… _Sam loved to watch his wife get ready on a morning, often resulting in her running late for everything. He had real trouble keeping his hands to himself, sometimes much to Donna's annoyance, when she knew she'd have to start getting ready all over again. Sam had told her it was her own fault and that if she wasn't so irresistible, then he wouldn't have a problem. A quick glance into her husband's sexy eyes and all thoughts of chores, were instantly forgotten. _

Kissing his baby son lightly on the head, Sam left him peacefully sleeping and slid carefully out of bed as not to disturb him. He quietly entered the bathroom, finding Donna at the wash basin, brushing her teeth. She peered at him through the mirror and as well as the slight smirk on his face, she quickly noticed the naughty glint in his eyes. Donna's body tensed, as her husband moved up close behind her and caused the tiny hairs on the back of her neck, to stand on end. It was unbelievable, the effect he still had, as Sam pressed himself against her slender frame. Placing his hands on Donna's hips, Sam's lips instantly found the warmness of her neck and the particular spot he knew drove her wild. He planted small, teasing kisses just below her jaw line, near her ear and felt her body start to relax against his own.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa stop." Whispered Donna, closing her eyes as the goose-bumps began to prickle up on her sensitive flesh. "My god… Stop." She pleaded once more, this time a little more breathlessly, as she dropped her toothbrush into the sink.

Words were futile, as if falling on deaf ears. Sam had no intention of stopping, not just yet, he was thoroughly enjoying this much needed closeness between them, which had been disrupted the night before. With one hand sliding around to rest on his wife's flat stomach, Sam moved the other to the outside of her thigh. Donna knew exactly what her husband was up to, as his fingertips then left a scorching trail up to the hemline of her silk nightdress. His lips never broke contact with her soft skin, as he continued with his sensual kisses around her neck and shoulder. Feeling her legs begin to tremble, Donna opened her eyes and tried to regain control of her senses, before her husband could take her too far and to the place where there was no turning back, until they'd reached total sexual gratification.

Wriggling free, Donna turned in Sam's arms, bringing his kisses to an abrupt end. "I said stop Sam. What part of that don't you understand?" She asked in a quiet voice, trying to show him that she was serious. "Max could wake at any second and besides… I'm tired with him having me up half the night." She finished, placing her hands on Sam's bare chest and pushing him away as he tried to continue with the attack on her neck.

Grinning, Sam kept his lower body pressed against his wife. "Well he's a lucky boy. I wish it was me that had kept you up half the night." He replied, smirking as he gazed into her sparkling green eyes and made her fully aware of the arousal concealed in his Calvin Klein's.

"Fuck you Carmichael." Whispered Donna, then gently biting her lower lip, as her hands slid round to her husband's tight ass.

"Hmmm, I love it when you talk dirty." Retorted Sam, springing forward to forcefully suck on her already sensitive neck, making Donna burst into a fit of giggles.

Yet again, the moment was over too soon, as the sound of little Max babbling in the bedroom, brought Sam's actions to a stop. Donna laughed as her husband rolled his eyes dramatically and placed a quick kiss on her lips. She watched him walk to the door and pause to look back round at her. He slowly looked her up and down, his gaze falling on the low cut neckline of her green nightdress, making Donna giggle even more. Even now, after two years together, Sam couldn't resist checking his wife out at every opportunity and thank his lucky stars that the stunning woman before him was indeed his. Donna didn't mind in the slightest. It proved that she still had what it took to keep her man happy, in every department.

"Don't think that this is over." Said Sam, raising his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, as he finally stopped staring at Donna's cleavage.

"Get out." Laughed Donna, picking up the hand towel and throwing it at her husband as he left the bathroom to tend to their son.

Spending the morning on the beach with Max, the Carmichael's had had tremendous fun playing at the water's edge with him and even more so, when they were joined by Sophie and Emma. Everything was so relaxed and perfect for Donna, as she sat back in the sand to watch her husband and two gorgeous children splashing around in the cool, clear ocean. She reminisced back to only a few months ago, when things had so nearly ended badly for her and Sam_… Since the birth of Max, one year ago, her life had been thrown upside down with the struggles of raising a baby again. It had been so much easier the first time round, even though she'd brought Sophie up on her own, with no assistance from her father. She didn't know if it was because of her age, or down to the fact that she felt as though she'd lost her independence again, having another little being depending on her twenty-four-seven. Before she'd got pregnant with Max, she'd resigned herself to the fact that as far as kids were concerned, she'd done her bit; she was in her early forties, Sophie was a grown woman with a child of her own and through her marriage to Sam, she'd gained two other grown children. For most women of her age, that would've been more than ample to deal with, but to then have a newborn thrown into the mix, only added to the stresses of her relationship with her husband. That of course was then and now she wouldn't have it any other way. With all their problems aired and a pact in place to communicate, rather then let things escalate, there wasn't a thing she would change…_

"Are you alright darling?" Asked Sam, bringing his wife out of her daydream, as he peered down at her.

Looking up at her handsome husband, Donna smiled. "I'm fine." She replied, holding her hand out so Sam could help her to stand. "In fact, I'm more than fine… I'm perfectly fine." She continued, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing a slow, pleasing kiss on his lips.

Sam held her close, his arms snaking around her slim waist. "Oh yes you are." He whispered, responding fully to her kiss and hearing her moan quietly into his mouth, as one of his hands slid down to give her rear a gentle squeeze.

Within a few seconds, their intimate moment was ruined once more, this time by little Emma toddling over, followed by Sophie carrying her baby brother. The Carmichael's smiled at each other as they parted and Sam bent down to scoop his granddaughter up in his strong arms. The small child squealed with delight, as Sam kissed her forehead and then spun her round in the air. Donna took a sleepy looking Max from Sophie and then placed her arm around her pretty daughter. To the outside world, the scene on the beach would have been picture perfect and like Donna had said to Sam, to her, it was too. Little did she know though, things were going to get even better for her and her husband, especially when she found out what Sam had planned for later on.

"I think someone a little sleepy." Said Donna, placing a delicate kiss on the top of Max's head, as he snuggled close against her chest.

"Aww bless him, I think Em's worn him out." Giggled Sophie, wrapping her arm around her mother's waist as they walked back towards the villa. "And vice versa." She added, noticing Emma's eyes closing as she placed her head on Sam's shoulder.

Smiling, Donna kissed the side of Sophie's head. "It's all the excitement." She said, as they all started the climb up the stone steps to the courtyard.

"And there's plenty more of that to come later… Hey Dad?" Sophie giggled, causing Donna to look round at her suspiciously.

Donna narrowed her eyes at her daughter and then looked round at her husband, who was obviously trying to keep a straight face. There she was again, feeling as though something was going on and she was the last to know about it. The past few days had been surrounded by suspicious behaviour, not only from her husband, but her backup girls as well. She had thought everything had finished and Sam's surprise last night been the end of it, but now she knew he was up to something… _again._

"What does she mean by that Sam?" Asked Donna, shifting a now babbling Max from one hip to the other and stroking his back.

Passing a sleepy Emma back to his giggling daughter, Sam smiled. "I don't know darling… Let's eat." He answered, then taking Max from his wife and tickling him until he giggled uncontrollably. "I'm starving." He finished, walking off towards the tables by the bar, where the Dynamos were laying the food out.

Standing still for a few moments, Donna shook her head and sighed. Deciding it was best not to get herself wound up again, especially on her son's big day, she then smiled at the sight of Tanya holding out a large glass of wine for her. It was only just after midday, but Donna was already in need of a drink, if she was going to have to put up with her husband's sneaky antics once more. She knew that his surprise last night had been special, but she was worried and curious as to what he had in store for her now… _Relax Sheridan, _Donna scolded herself, as she walked over and took the glass of crisp, chilled Chardonnay from her friend. It wasn't long before the alcohol started to relax her and all thoughts turned to her gorgeous baby boy and his first birthday party. Max was having a great time, sat in his highchair at the table with his party hat on, as Sophie took pictures of her family.

After most of Rosie's delicious food had been eaten and Max had started to chew on the gift wrap discarded from his presents, Donna made her way to the kitchen to get his birthday cake. She couldn't help the huge grin plastered permanently on her face, as she realised at this moment in time, just how happy she was. With the candle lit, she walked back out to the courtyard and placed the spectacular homemade cake down in front of her smiling baby boy. Everyone sang 'Happy Birthday' to the small tot, who then blew out his candle with the help of Sophie. Smiling at his beautiful wife, Sam topped her glass up with more wine and then sat down on a tall barstool nearby, to sip on his own drink. He too was reflecting on the landmark in his son's life and wondering if it was even possible that life could get any better than this.

"What are you thinking about?" Asked Donna a tad concerned, as she walked over to join her husband and came to a stop between his parted legs.

Smiling, Sam pulled his wife close and gazed into her sparkling eyes. "I'm thinking… About how happy I am." He replied, resting his hand on the side of her neck and gently stroking her cheek with his thumb.

A huge smile spread across Donna's face. "I was thinking the exact same thing." She said in almost a whisper, as she peered lovingly into Sam's steely blue eyes. "In fact… There is nothing I want more, than to take you upstairs and show you _just__how happy I am_." She continued, raising her eyebrows at her handsome husband and then leaning in to place a slow teasing kiss on his lips.

Sam responded to his wife's passionate kiss, feeling himself getting rapidly aroused at what she had just suggested and he would have taken her up on her offer in a split second, if he didn't have something else to do instead. Donna had been the one to reject him this morning and now he felt bad for having to do the same to her. Slowly breaking from their kiss, Sam glanced over his wife's shoulder, at her two best friends. Rosie was looking at her watch and Tanya was signalling to him, that they were going up to his and Donna's bedroom. Realising that her husband was somehow distracted with whatever was going on behind her, Donna turned her head to see the back of her friends disappearing through the door of the hotel reception. Narrowing her ocean green eyes, she turned her attention back to her husband.

"What are they up to?" Asked Donna, placing her hands on Sam's thighs and staring intensely at him.

Sam waited for Sophie to scoop both Max and Emma up into her arms and wink at him as she carried them off towards the goat house. The air surrounding the Carmichael's was deathly silent, as they stared deeply into one another's eyes. He was now alone in the courtyard with his wife and took a long sip of his wine before he answered her. Donna's head was tilted to one side and a confused expression had now replaced the cheerful smile from earlier. Seeing Donna like this, so sweet and vulnerable, made Sam fall in love with her even more.

"Come with me." Sam finally whispered, planting a delicate kiss on his wife's lips, as he stood and took her hand.

Following her husband towards the reception, Donna pulled him to a standstill as they walked through the doorway. "Okay Carmichael, tell me what the hell is going on." She said in a demanding tone, well and truly fed up with being left in the dark once more.

"Okay…" Answered Sam, gently placing his hand on her cheek. "Last night, when I asked you to marry me again, well… We're doing it today." He finished, smiling as his wife's facial expression turned instantly to one of shock.

Shaking her head, Donna stared at Sam like he'd gone insane. "What?!" She said, her grip on his other hand slowly slipping. "Are you completely nuts?… Nothing's planned, I have nothing to wear and where are you going to find someone to marry us at this short notice?" She finally finished, without even pausing for breath or answers.

Giggling, Sam took his wife's hand once more and began to lead her up the stairs to their room. "Everything's sorted darling, trust me." He said, stopping as they reached the landing and turning to face her again.

Still in shock, Donna couldn't quite believe what her husband was saying, but all the sneakiness of today fell into place. He looked so handsome as he stood there smiling at her and obviously waiting for her to say something in response. A small smile soon crept onto Donna's face and a wave of relief washed over Sam, when he realised he'd won her over. Wrapping her arms around her husband's neck, Donna pulled him close and placed a slow pleasing kiss on his soft lips. Sam responded fully, moving her backwards to lean against the pale blue wall and never once breaking eye contact with her. They remained like this for a couple of minutes, until lack of air forced them apart to gaze into one another's lust filled eyes.

"Could you be anymore perfect Sam Carmichael?" Whispered Donna, trailing her hand round to the nape of Sam's neck and gasping loudly as he then forcefully pressed himself against her.

"Only when I'm with you." Sam answered with a wiggle of his eyebrows, causing his wife to start giggling at him.

Before they knew what was happening, the Carmichael's had flown into another round of hot, passionate kisses, with hands exploring the contours each other's bodies. Sam's concealed arousal was straining against the fabric of his trousers, making him moan quietly when his wife reached down for him. Now caressing her husband's solid erection through his jeans, Donna was quickly becoming breathless upon hearing his quite moans of pleasure. It wasn't until the pair of them heard the sound of laughter coming from inside their bedroom, that Sam reluctantly broke from their kiss and grinned at his wife's now flushed complexion. He knew this wasn't the time or the place to be doing this, but there was just something about Donna that made him unable to resist her. Just as Sam started with hungry, sensual kisses to her neck, the bedroom door was flung open causing him to look up at his wife's friends with a cheeky grin. As Donna did her best to calm her erratic breathing, Tanya surveyed the scene in front of her and then let out a loud snort of laughter, when she was joined by Rosie in the doorway.

"Down big fella." Laughed Tanya, her gaze coming to a stop on Sam's obvious arousal under his jeans. "Now you know I hate to break up this tender moment, but if you want this _thing _to go ahead on time, then I'm gonna need our girl." She continued, watching Donna turn a deeper shade of red with embarrassment, as she leant forward and took hold of her wrist.

Sam nodded, as he turned to face his wife. "See you soon sweetheart." He said quietly, leaning forward to place a tender kiss on her lips, before he turned and left.

Dragging their best friend through the door, Rosie and Tanya both giggled as they handed the blonde a glass of bubbly champagne. Donna took it and giggled herself, as the realisation of what was going on suddenly hit her… _She was getting married again and once more, it was a total surprise to her. The first time had been a whirlwind of complete craziness and this time it looked as though it was going the same way. When Donna had once discussed it with Sam, she had told him that if they could ever do it all over, she would keep it a small affair, with only very close friends invited. Luckily Sam had agreed that that was what he wanted too and that as long as they were together, nothing else mattered to him… Here he was, the hopeless romantic, always going out of his way to make his wife the happiest woman in the world…_

"Right, down that Sheridan… Then get your arse in the shower." Said Rosie, pointing to Donna's champagne flute. "We're under strict instructions to get you down to the beach by three o'clock."

Taking a long sip of the fizzy liquid, Donna shook her head. "I can believe he's arranged all this." She said, noticing a vase full of white long-stemmed rose's on her dressing table and walking over to inhale their sweet floral scent.

Sitting down on the bed, Tanya poured herself a glass of champagne. "With a little help from your friends." She responded, then taking a sip of her drink. "But yes… You have a good man there honey. He's a definite keeper." She added with a snort of laughter, causing her friends to laugh too.

Donna took her time getting ready, wanting her hair and makeup to be just right for the renewal of her wedding vows and wanting to look perfect for her perfect husband. She was just about done, as she tightened her robe around herself and walked out into the bedroom in search of some underwear. Still not knowing what she was supposed to be wearing, Donna glanced at the long black suit carrier, hanging on the front of her wardrobe. Sam had obviously bought her something new to wear and excitedly, she walked over to take a look. The Dynamos were chatting amongst themselves and finishing off getting ready, while already working their way through a second bottle of Bollinger.

"You might need these first Don." Said Rosie, passing her best friend a gift bag with the 'La Perla' logo on the side. "A little gift from us love."

Giggling, Donna unwrapped the black tissue paper inside the cream coloured bag and gasped at the sight of the most gorgeous, yet ridiculously expensive underwear she'd ever seen. She held up a strapless nude coloured silk bra, edged with intricate black lace and smiled at her backup girls. The matching knickers were just as spectacular and Donna knew for certain that her husband was going to love them just as much as she did. Placing the items down on the end of the bed, Donna outstretched her arms to her two best friends and smiled lovingly at them. As far as she was concerned, she had the best friends a girl could ever want.

"Thanks girls, I love them and I have a sneaky suspicion, Sam will be thanking you later too." Giggled Donna, hugging the Dynamos as tightly as she could.

Finally pulling away, Tanya smirked at Donna. "He bloody well better." She said, then laughing as she grabbed the bottle of Bollinger champagne.

Turning her attention back to the black suit carrier, Donna walked over and placed her fingertips on the silver zipper. She held her breath for a few seconds as she slowly opened the front and revealed the most exquisite cream embellished dress. Taking it off its hanger, Donna held it up against herself and turned to face her friends. They both nodded with approval, liking the choice made by their friend's husband. Donna smiled widely and grabbed her new underwear from the bed, taking them along with the dress into the bathroom. It didn't take her long to get dressed, smoothing her hands down the front of the strapless, knee length dress, as she checked her appearance in the bathroom mirror. Liking what she saw, Donna gave herself a quick spritz of her favourite perfume and headed back into the bedroom.

"Well, what do ya think?" Asked Donna, giving her backup girls a quick twirl. "Will I do?" She added, before picking up her champagne flute and downing the last of its contents.

Rosie wolf whistled, as she looked at her friend in the perfectly fitted Carolina Herrera dress and Tanya smiled whilst raising her eyebrows. Giggling, Donna already knew she looked a million dollars, but she couldn't ignore the soaring butterflies that had started to flutter around the pit of her stomach. She was nervous, yet she didn't know why. It wasn't as though she was getting married for the very first time. Thankfully the fizzy bubbles from the champagne she'd drunk, were doing wonders to relax her a bit. Placing the now empty champagne flute down on the dressing table, Donna took one of the roses out of the vase and smiled broadly.

"Let's go girls." Giggled Donna, as the Dynamos jumped up to join her and left the Carmichael's bedroom.

With her hair clipped up, Donna swept a few loose stands away from her face as she walked out into the sun filled courtyard. She took a few seconds to stand by herself and take a few calming breaths, as the Dynamos hurried on ahead towards the beach. Setting off again barefooted, Donna suddenly came to an abrupt stop when she was confronted by the sight of a handsome young man dressed in pale linen trousers and a white shirt, stood at the top of the stone steps. Ben turned to face his stepmother, with his hands in his pockets and smiled at her. His boyish dark looks made him a complete younger replica of his father, making Donna's heart melt at the sight of him.

"Ben!" Squealed Donna, hurrying over and throwing her arms around the young man. "Oh my god, I can't believe you're here… How? when?" She asked, loosening her hold on him and reaching up to stroke his face, with a huge beam on her own.

Smiling back at his mother, Ben placed a sweet kiss on her cheek. "We got here a few hours ago… Been hiding out in the goat house ever since." He answered, with a small chuckle as Donna's jaw dropped. "I missed you."

Pulling her son close again, Donna could feel tears welling up in her eyes. "I missed you too darling. I'm so glad you're here." She replied in a soft whisper and placing a tender kiss on Ben's cheek as she pulled away. "So I take it you're going to give me away?" She continued, smiling as she wiped away a single tear as it fell from her green eyes.

Nodding, Ben held out his hand for his stepmother to take it. Gripping tight onto his hand, Donna took a deep breath as they began the short walk down the uneven steps to the beach. She was still holding onto one of the white roses Sam had left in their room for her and she could now hear the sound of people chatting excitedly on the sand below. Those niggling butterflies began to float around in her stomach again and Donna still couldn't understand why she was feeling so nervous. She was about to reconfirm the love she shared with her husband; the man that had turned her world around for the better, the father of her children and the man that she really couldn't live without.

"You look amazing by the way." Said Ben, giving his mother's hand a gentle squeeze, as they made the short walk across the sand to where the wedding party was waiting for them.

Feeling a smile creep onto her face, Donna scanned the few faces of very close friends and her small family, before meeting the gaze of her gorgeous husband. Sam was looking her up and down as she approached, with a matching smile on his face. The small group parted, allowing Ben to guide his mother between them and straight to his father. Donna turned her head to find Zack holding baby Max in his arms and paused to give them both a quick kiss, before doing the same to Sophie and little Emma. At this precise moment in time, Donna was so happy, that she thought her love filled heart would burst at any given minute. Her family were all together, including the Dynamos and as far as she was concerned, the day was getting better and better.

Finally reaching her husband, Donna took a sharp intake of breath as he pulled her close. "You look absolutely stunning." He whispered into her ear, before placing a delicate kiss on her cheek.

She slowly pulled away, gazing into his eyes, when the vicar in front of them cleared his throat to gain their attention. Sam grinned and reached down to take his wife's hand in his, nodding at the vicar to proceed. The next part kind of passed in a blur to Donna, as the words the man was saying washed over her, when all she could think about was her husband and all he done for her. He seemed to go on and on, explaining the importance of love and respect in a marriage, in order for it to last. After what felt like half an hour, the vicar finally handed the next part over to the groom. It wasn't until Sam turned to face her, that Donna snapped out of her daydream and focused on what he was about to say. Everyone in the small congregation remained silent too, as they listened to Sam begin his declaration of undying love for his wife.

"Donna Carmichael, my wife and my life." Said Sam, smiling as he peered into Donna's fast filling teary eyes. "Darling you will never know, just how unbelievably happy you have made me over the past two years… You have been the most fantastic mother to our children, my companion and my lover…" He paused to give her a cheeky wink, causing the wedding party the giggle at his last reference. "I was a fool to let you go all those years ago and now I have you, I'm never letting you go… You're my world, you're my everything… I love you forever more." He finished, taking Donna's gold and diamond wedding band from the vicar, before sliding it onto his wife's finger.

Taking a deep breath, Donna wiped away her silent tears. She knew it was her turn and for everyone's sake, she had to keep it together. Sam's word's had made a beeline straight to her already swollen heart, making it beat just that little bit faster when she gazed back into his dark eyes. They say the eyes are the window to a persons soul and that was exactly what she was seeing now. He had been completely sincere, keeping it short and simple, yet letting her know exactly what she meant to him. She didn't even think it was possible, but Donna felt herself falling even more in love with her husband, as he stood there holding her hand and looking so gorgeous in his pale trousers and white shirt.

Shifting her weight from one foot to another, Donna smiled. "Well how can I top that?" She said in almost a whisper, making Sam laugh softly. "Samuel Carmichael, you never fail to amaze me… You are the perfect husband, friend and father… Thank you for my four beautiful children and thank you for being you." She continued, turning to glance quickly at her precious kids. "You managed to rock my world many years ago and now you continue to do so… _Everyday_." She said, pausing to give him a cheeky wink, as the Vicar coughed at what she was obviously referring to. "You have managed to single-handedly, make me the happiest woman walking the earth and there is nothing more to say but… I love you, I love you, I love you." She finished, taking Sam's gold wedding band from the now smiling vicar and placing it on her husband's finger.

Without another word spoken between the pair, the sparks of true love were visible to all there witnessing this second union. The vicar only just managed to proclaim them man and wife again, when the Carmichael's fell into one another's arms and straight into a passionate kiss. Everyone applauded and cheered, waiting for the couple to part before walking over to congratulate them. Both Donna and Sam had tears of joy in their eyes, as they finally broke for air and giggled as their gazes locked once more. The first time round had been unexpected and spontaneous, this time round, Sam had put a lot of thought into it and Donna couldn't thank him enough. After sharing hugs and kisses with friends and family, the Carmichael's waited for them all to make their way over to the beach bar, so they could catch a quiet moment by themselves.

Holding tightly onto his wife's hand, Sam turned and smiled lovingly at her. "We did it gorgeous. Was it how you would've wanted it?" He asked, moving close to gently stroke her cheek.

"It was wonderful Sam, perfect." Answered Donna, leaning closer to plant another kiss on her husband's lips.

"Good." Replied Sam, after Donna slowly parted from him. "Because there is another part to the surprise." He added, smiling as she shook her head at him and laughed.

"Now why doesn't that surprise me?" Giggled Donna, allowing her husband to lead her across the sand to their waiting friends and family.

* * *

A.N. There ya go hunnies! So sorry it took so long, but after returning from NYC, I had a lot going on with the family grrrr… Please let me know what you thought. Next update will be on 'Love Knows No Boundaries'… Loads of love, Liv x


	20. Chapter 20 Wedding Night Bliss

N.B. Thank you, thank you for all the wonderful reviews in the last chapter guys! You're the best! Mwahs… For my Dynamos, I love you girls xxx Charliee, keep going hun xxx

Just to let you guys know (If you didn't know already), I have started another story, but this time a 'Strummer', so please check it out if you have the time. All comments are greatly appreciated.. Mwahs x

V V 'M' Warning!

* * *

Chapter 20 Wedding Night Bliss

* * *

Sitting back with her baby boy fast asleep against her chest, Donna observed what was going on around her, as she gently stroked his soft dark hair. After renewing her wedding vows with her husband, little over an hour ago, she still couldn't wipe the smile off her face when she thought about how unbelievably happy he made her. She sat quietly watching her close friends and family mingle, as the drinks flowed freely from her beachside bar. Sam was deep in conversation with Nikos, after been joined by his boys and Sophie was chatting to Pepper and a friend of his that had recently started helping out around the villa. Watching her beautiful daughter, Donna could see there was some sort of flirting going on between her and Ryan, making her wonder if there was something already going on between them. As if she knew that her mother had her gaze firmly locked on her, Sophie found herself turning to look in her direction. Donna smiled softly at her, raising her eyebrows and making the young woman blush as she smiled back. Not knowing a great deal about the attractive new worker, Donna's maternal instincts went into overdrive, hoping her daughter wasn't going to rush into anything and get herself hurt again in the process… _She's a big girl, _Donna silently reassured herself, noticing that Sam was already keeping a close eye on their daughter, when he kept looking over in Sophie's direction.

"You're very quiet Mrs. Carmichael." Said Rosie with a smile, as she walked over with a glass of champagne for her best friend. "Everything alright?" She then asked, taking a seat next to Donna and reaching over to stroke Max's back.

Nodding, Donna smiled back at the Dynamo. "Everything's great." She replied, then placing a tender kiss on top of her son's head. "Max is worn out after today bless him, I should really get him to bed." She finished, reaching for the champagne Rosie had placed in front of her on the table and taking a quick swig of it before sitting it back down.

Holding her hands out, Rosie smiled adoringly at her small godchild. "Leave it to me Don. I'll go settle him, you go have some fun." She said, cuddling a still peacefully sleeping Max close to her as soon as Donna passed him over.

Watching her best friend then stand and walk away with her baby, Donna took a long sip of her bubbly drink. She surveyed the scene in front of her once more, before standing from the table and slowly making her way through the small group of chatting people. The music was playing softly in the background and as Donna passed her husband, who was still talking, she couldn't resist pausing to give his rear a subtle squeeze. As she did, Sam flinched and turned his head with a huge smile on his face. He reached round and took his wife's hand, which was now resting on his ass cheek, sliding it round to rest on his chest. Donna stood behind him, resting her chin on his shoulder, as she listened to parts of Nikos's conversation with her two sons.

Moving close to her husband's ear, Donna blew gently to grab his attention. "I'm going to need to get out of here in a while Mr. Carmichael." She whispered, running her free hand down his side. "I _have_ to feel you inside me… Soon." She continued, feeling Sam's body tense as she then placed a teasing, delicate kiss on his jawbone near to his ear.

Sam turned round, to meet Donna's gaze and pulled her into his arms. "I'm getting hard just thinking about it." He whispered into her ear, causing her to let out a loud, dirty laugh at his response.

Peering back into one another's eyes, the Carmichael's moved in even closer to share a passionate kiss. It was slow, yet deep, with tongues delving into each other's mouths and exploring the exciting, familiar territory. With the sound of people talking, instantly fading away, Donna knew she had to stop herself getting too carried away in the moment. She reluctantly broke for air and giggled when she realised a few of their friends were watching them and smiling. Sophie on the other hand, was still deep in conversation with Ryan and hadn't even noticed that her mother had left her seat at the table, she'd been frequenting for a while. Placing once last lingering kiss on her husband's lips, Donna gave him a wink as she walked away and made her way over to where her daughter was stood talking.

Sliding her arm around Sophie's waist, Donna felt her daughter jump slightly. "Having fun sweetheart?" She asked, then placing a sweet kiss on the side of her head.

"Yeah, I was just telling Ryan a bit about the island." Replied Sophie, looking a bit flustered when the good looking guy smiled at her.

Donna held out her hand towards Ryan and smiled. "I don't think I've really had the opportunity to introduce myself properly." She said when her new employee shook her hand. "Hi, I'm your _boss _and this is my baby girl… do you see what I'm getting at?" She continued, watching her daughter's jaw drop and her face turn bright red with embarrassment.

"Completely." Answered Ryan, running his hand through his dark brown hair and laughing at Donna's not so subtle words of warning.

"Fantastic." Donna responded, smirking at Sophie who was now shooting her daggers with her big blue eyes. "Well I'll leave you two kids to… Talk." She finished, giving Sophie's bottom a gentle tap as she walked away across the soft sand.

Rosie had already returned from putting Max to bed in the nursery and was now enjoying a glass of champagne with Tanya by the bar. They beckoned Donna over, to join them for a drink, instantly wanting details of the new worker talking to Sophie. Donna filled them in as best she could, telling them that Ryan used to go to school with Pepper back in England and was now wanting to experience what Greece had to offer for a while. Glancing back over at her best friend's daughter, Tanya smiled and took a sip of her drink. She thought it was sweet that Sophie was having fun after the very messy end to her relationship with Sky. There was something about the beginning of the year, that brought new beginnings to peoples lives and the Carmichael's had already just proved that, by renewing their wedding vows in front of them all.

"So are you looking forward to your wedding night Sheridan?" Tanya asked, smiling at Donna and taking a sip of her champagne.

Unable to stop a smirk coming to her face, Donna took a sip of her own drink. "Yes." She replied simply, peering over in her husband's direction, as he looked over at her too.

Donna giggled as Sam looked her up and down and nodded slowly, letting her know that he liked what he saw. The evening was going well, with everyone enjoying themselves and as the sun began to slowly set in the sky over Kalokairi, Donna knew it wouldn't be too long before she was back in the privacy of her own room with her handsome husband. She was overjoyed that her sons were here too and was looking forward to spending some time with them after not seeing them for a while… _Everything was perfect, so perfect in fact, that Donna was waiting for someone to come and wake her up from her amazing dream, bringing her back to reality with a bump. It wasn't going to happen though, this was her life and as long as she had Sam in it, she knew it would remain perfect…_

"May I have this dance Mrs. Carmichael?" Asked Sam, coming to a stop in front of his wife and bringing her out of her daydream.

With a broad smile on her face, Donna took Sam's hand and fell into his strong arms. She placed her hand on his chest, as he snaked his arm around her slender waist, holding her tightly against him. As the music played, they started to sway slowly, staring deeply into one another's eyes. For the next few minutes, it was as though they were totally alone on the beach at sunset. All eyes were on them, but the couple didn't notice, as they only paid attention to each other, staring dreamily at one another. It was when Lionel Richie's 'Three Times a Lady' finally finished playing over the beach bar speakers, that Sam knew it was time for them leave the small wedding reception. It had been great, but now he wanted his wife to himself, not wanting to share her with anyone else for the rest of the night.

Scooping his wife up into his arms, Sam smiled as the guests all clapped. "Goodnight all. Thank you for sharing this special afternoon with us." He said, causing Donna to giggle as she clung on round his neck and he set off carrying her across the sand towards the villa.

*************

Setting Donna back down on her feet, after he'd carried her over the thresh-hold of their room, Sam made sure to lock the door behind them. They were alone at last and Donna was the one to make the first move. She was hungry for her husband, needing him and wanting to show him just how thankful she was for all he'd done for her. Wasting no time, Donna began to undo the buttons of her husband's white shirt, staring into his eyes as she did and taking her time until she'd unbuttoned the very last one. Sam smiled lovingly at his wife, as she then trailed her hands down his naked chest, over his stomach and came to a stop at his belt buckle. He watched her seductively bite her lower lip, as she proceeded to work on ridding him of his linen trousers and boxers, allowing her gaze to wander down his now naked toned body. Donna took a step back, to admire her handsome husband in all his glory and reached behind her to find the concealed zip of her dress. As the fabric slowly loosened and slid from her perfect frame, Sam's eyes widened at the sight of her now stood in nothing but her new La Perla underwear.

"You like?" Asked Donna quietly, trying not to giggle at Sam's obvious excitement, as she placed her hands on her hips.

Staring at Donna's ample cleavage spilling over the top of the lace trimmed strapless bra, Sam slowly nodded. "I like it a lot." He answered, stepping closer to place his hands under her arms and run his thumbs over the expensive fabric of the bra.

His simple touch alone was more than enough to send shivers up and down her spine, making her feel more alive then ever. Donna's lips curled into a soft smile, as Sam then leaned closer and placed his lips against hers, giving her a tender kiss. His hands were now gliding over her near naked body, taking in the silkiness of her skin and her feminine curves on the way to the top of her panties. With their kiss now intensifying, Donna's hands found their way to either side of her husband's face, cupping it as she stepped out of her cream coloured underwear and kissed him with more force. Walking back towards the bed, Sam held on tight to his wife and never lost contact with her lips. Donna soon felt her husband pushing her back against the cotton sheets and climbing onto the bed to join her. He remained in a crouched position over her, breaking from their now breathless kiss and letting his eyes travel down her amazing body, causing Donna to moan quietly through loss of contact.

Reaching to the side of the bed, for a half full bottle of champagne he'd spotted when they walked in, Sam smirked. "I'm thirsty." He said quietly, as Donna peered at the naughty glint in his eye.

Shaking her head, Donna smirked back. "Don't you even think about it Samuel." She replied, tensing as he then raised the bottle over her lower body and without further warning, tipped it.

The fizzy liquid cascaded over Donna's half naked body, causing her to gasp loudly at the strange sensation on her skin. Sam quickly discarded the now empty bottle of Bollinger and lunged forward, allowing his tongue to lap up the champagne soaking his wife's body. They were both unbelievably turned on, as Sam's mouth traced the bubbles on her sensitive flesh. Closing her eyes once more, Donna moaned quietly as her husband's erotic touch moved further downwards and he gently parted her legs, whilst repositioning himself.

"Oh god." Whispered Donna, her hands falling to her sides and gripping tightly onto the soaking sheets.

Flicking the tip of his tongue over his wife's clitoris, Sam felt her body flinch in response. Donna's breathing was getting faster, with each stimulating stroke of her husband's tongue, filling her with burning desire as he then answered her body's silent plea. Plunging his tongue fully into her warmth, Sam groaned at how wet she was for him already and pushed her legs further apart, to move in deeper. With her moans of pleasure increasing, Donna could feel her body getting hotter and her hips involuntarily thrusting forward to meet her husband's varied tongue movements. It was one of the most amazing sensations she had ever experienced and Sam definitely knew what he was doing, as he increased the pressure around her womanhood. He carried on for quite some time, wanting to give his wife the best oral she'd ever had, concentrating on parts that made her moan the loudest.

Biting her lip, to stop herself crying out, Donna reached down to roughly run her hand through her husband's hair. "I'm… Coming… Sammmm." She groaned loudly, feeling herself fast approaching a climax.

Continuing with what he was doing, Sam felt his wife's body starting to tense and he knew she was nearly there. With a few more forceful strokes of his tongue, he quickly brought Donna to an almighty climax. She was moaning, her lower body shuddering, as her much anticipated orgasm tore through her and shook her to the core. Sam didn't stop until he knew Donna had given him her all and moaned himself, as he felt her womanly juices begin to flow. Donna's chest heaved, as the beads of perspiration trickled from her forehead and a satisfied smile spread across her flushed face. Slowly kissing his way back up her body, Sam grinned cheekily as he finally met his wife's gaze. Still wearing her strapless bra, Donna slowly sat up and reached behind her back to unhook it, watching her husband's gaze then fall to her newly exposed breasts.

Shaking his head, Sam smiled. "You have the most amazing pair o…" He said, as Donna placed her finger over his lips to stop him completing his sentence.

"Shut up and kiss me." Said Donna, her voice low and raspy from all the groaning she'd been doing.

Pulling her close, Sam kissed his wife with fiery passion and felt himself harden even more, knowing that she would be able to taste herself on his lips. Donna wrapped her arms around her husband's neck, moving to straddle him and turning up the heat of their kiss in the process. Her tongue instantly slid into Sam's mouth, drawing his into her own and causing them to clash wildly against each other. The room was getting hotter by the second, their bodies pressed close together and making them gasp between kisses, to get air into their lungs. Raising her hips, Donna broke for air and stared into her husband's glazed eyes, as she carefully eased herself down onto his solid erection. Sam groaned, holding Donna tightly in place, as he felt her tight womanhood taking his penis in, tip to base. They stayed in place for a few moments, allowing Donna to adjust and accommodate her husband.

Wrapping her legs around her husband, Donna ran her fingers through his hair. "I love you." She whispered, placing a tender kiss on his lips, as her arms then snaked around his neck.

Smiling, Sam reciprocated her loving kiss. "I love you too." He whispered in response, as Donna then began with a slow rocking motion with her hips.

Moving as one, their perspiring bodies moulded together, the couples lovemaking continued at a slow pace. Sam's mouth was now exploring his wife's sweet scented neck, making her moan when he purposely grazed his teeth along her sensitive flesh. His hand trailed down her spine and came to a rest on her rear, pushing her further down onto his throbbing length. Tilting her hips, Donna moaned at the amazing sensation of her husband's penis reaching that particular place that made her whole body writhe with unbelievable pleasure. She upped the pace, causing Sam to gasp as he flicked his tongue along her jaw line. It wasn't long before he'd found his way back to her soft lips, covering them with his own and probing his tongue into her moist mouth. The way his wife was working him now, Sam was close to climaxing and was desperately trying to hold off for as long as he could, in order for Donna to reach hers too.

"Easy baby, I'm close." Breathed Sam into Donna's mouth, his eyes now closing as she kept up her continuous rocking pace.

"Me too." Donna mumbled back in response, feeling her second orgasm of the night, begin to mount within.

After a few more strategic thrusts of her hips, Donna was there. Literally screaming as her orgasm engulfed her entire body, she felt her pelvic walls tensing and gripping around her husband's manhood, easing him straight into his. Sam buried his face in the crease of his wife's damp neck and called out her name as he ejaculated forcefully within her. They slowly came to a complete stop, with their breathing shallow and rapid, as they held each other close. Yet again, the lovemaking had been magical, bringing them even closer together and celebrating their love for one another. Finally catching her breath, Donna began to giggle as Sam nuzzled her neck and pushed her onto her back. Still inside his wife and laying on top of her, Sam placed a long 'thank you' kiss on her lips.

Slowly withdrawing from her, Sam rested on his elbows at either side of her head. "Now I really am thirsty." He said with a giggle, stroking Donna's hair off her damp forehead and peering into her glazed green eyes.

Smiling back at him, Donna trailed her hands over his broad shoulders. "Well it's a pity someone decided to waste the last of the champagne isn't it?" She responded, then gently biting her lower lip at the thought of how Sam had used the bubbly liquid a short while earlier.

"I didn't hear you complaining then." Laughed Sam, rolling to lay by her side and pulling her into his arms. "No actually I did come to think of it… You were definitely moaning." He added, earning himself a hard slap on the chest from his wife.

**************

Waking up alone the following morning, Donna smiled to herself as she got ready for the day and stripped off the champagne stained bedding from her bed. The previous night had been wild, with she and Sam making love a further two times before drifting off into an exhausted sleep in one another's arms. Deciding to leave the laundry until later and in much need of coffee, Donna left the room and headed downstairs, checking in on a sleeping Max on the way to the kitchen. The sun was already out and the sound of cheerful chatter was drifting across the courtyard, making her smile. Pausing in the open doorway, Donna was confronted with the sight of her two sons having breakfast with her gorgeous husband. They were laughing and joking about something, when Zack threw a piece of toast at his brother, which resulted in a small food fight between the boys, as Sam just looked on and laughed.

"Good morning children." Said Donna, now walking into the kitchen and rolling her eyes as her stepsons both started grinning at her.

Heading straight to the fresh coffee in the pot, Donna poured herself a mug full and turned to face her family. Sam went back to reading his newspaper, trying not to laugh at his wife as she surveyed the messy worktops. By the looks of things, the boys had made breakfast, using every utensil the hotel owned and hadn't attempted to clean up after themselves. Knowing what his wife was like, for wanting things tidied up straight away, Sam knew it wouldn't take long for her to start doing it herself. He was right and as soon as Donna placed her mug down on the table, he grabbed hold of her, pulling her down into his lap before she could get going.

"Don't you even think about it darling." Said Sam with a smile, leaning in close to place a loving kiss on Donna's lips. "The guys were just about to clean up." He finished, turning his head and raising his eyebrows at his two sons.

Donna turned her head to find both Ben and Zack nodding at her, melting her heart with their handsome faces. Just as she was about to tell them not to worry about it and that she would sort it out, Tanya staggered into the kitchen, holding her head and groaning. Everyone looked up at her, as she then silently helped herself to a caffeine fix and groaned again, when she burned her lip on the steaming hot coffee. Zack and Ben both started giggling at the Dynamos delicate state, causing Donna and Sam to do the same. It was plainly obvious that the party had carried on after the Carmichael's had left and even though it was still early morning, some were suffering the after effects more than others.

"Looking good Auntie Tan." Giggled Ben, earning himself a sharp smack round the back of the head from the brunette, much to the amusement of everyone else.

Sitting down on the remaining chair at the table, Tanya slowly looked round the kitchen. "Holy shit, what went on in here?" She asked, then sipping on her coffee and looking across at her friend perched on Sam's lap. "It looks like Rosie's been cooking when drunk… Again."

"No, apparently it's… Breakfast." Replied Donna, jumping slightly as her husband moved his hand to her rear. "Have you seen Sophie this morning boys?" She then asked, peering over at her stepsons and getting up to top up her coffee.

Shaking his head, Zack took a bite of toast. "Not since late last night." He answered, as Bed nodded in agreement. "I saw that guy Ryan walking her back towards the goat house."

Feeling her body stiffen, Donna looked down at her husband, who had now lost all interest in his newspaper. She had thought she'd made her warning to Ryan perfectly clear, but it didn't stop her thinking the worse. Sam slowly looked up at his wife and noticed her worried expression… _Yes their daughter was a grown woman, but it didn't stop them being protective of her. All the heartache and pain she went through during her break up with Sky, had left Sophie a little vulnerable. She still found it hard to talk about him, even though he was the father of her beautiful little girl. It wasn't so long ago, that Sophie would cry herself to sleep night after night in the arms of her mother and it had broken Donna's heart to see her baby girl like that. With Emma taking up most of her time now, Sophie hadn't shown any interest in finding love again and Donna was worried her daughter was going to get swept away with the first bit of male attention she received…_

"Fucking fabulous." Donna muttered under her breath, turning round and purposely starting to tidy up the kitchen as way of distraction.

Sam could see his wife was tense about their daughter's behaviour and stood up from the table. "Hey, relax." He whispered into her ear, as he slipped his arms around her waist from behind.

"I can't." Donna replied, unwrapping Sam's arms from around her waist and walking straight out of the kitchen, as everyone stayed silent.

Quickly following after her, Sam took hold of Donna's wrist and pulled her to a stop in the courtyard. Donna had things on her mind and questions for her daughter, but as her husband smiled at her, she felt herself softening. It was still fairly early and everyone had gone to bed late, so maybe her daughter was just still sleeping. Maybe it was all purely innocent and Ryan had just done the gentlemanly thing by walking Sophie back to her apartment last night, before making his way back to the boarding house. Donna had been about to jump the gun, by marching into the goat house to confront her daughter and it was times like these that she was glad she had her husband there to stop her getting worked up. Feeling herself relax again, Donna moved closer to Sam and ran her hands down the front of his navy blue shirt, gazing into his gorgeous eyes. She could smell the alluring aroma of his aftershave, sending her senses into overdrive as he trailed his fingertips down her bare arms.

"I hate it when you're right." Said Donna, her tone low as her gaze fell to her husband's soft lips.

Laughing, Sam yanked his wife into his arms and smothered her lips with a knee buckling kiss, feeling her placing her hands at either side of his neck as she responded eagerly. They had made love practically all night long, but it didn't stop Donna wanting more. She was addicted to Sam and the way he stirred such sensual feelings within her, keeping her wanting him. The kiss was slow and deep, as tongues found one another and pushed them into that little world of their own. It wasn't until Sophie walked across the courtyard carrying Emma, that Donna heard her footsteps and instantly broke from the intimate moment with her husband. Sophie was smiling at her parents as she headed towards the kitchen for breakfast, seemingly not wanting to stop and talk.

"Sophie Sheridan, stop right there young lady." Said Donna, relaxing her hold on her husband and turning in his arms for face their daughter.

Stopping dead in her tracks, Sophie turned to face her mom and dad with a coy smile on her face. "Good morning." She said quietly, trying not to giggle as her mother looked suspiciously at her.

"What happened last night with Ryan?" Asked Donna, getting straight to the point and not even bothering to exchange pleasantries with her pretty daughter.

Sophie took a sharp intake of breath. "Nothing happened with Ryan… He just walked me back to the goat house that's all." She replied, now looking down at the stone floor at her feet and nibbling gently on her lip.

It was a look that Donna had seen far too many times before. Sophie had probably done something silly, rushing in feet first and not stopping to think about the consequences of her actions… _She'd always been like that, ever since she was a little girl growing up on the island. She was free spirited, full of life and lived for the moment, keeping her mother on her toes when bringing her up on her own. It had been a real challenge for Donna; chasing her daughter all over and trying to set up a business, keeping Donna so youthful in the process. Sophie's parents had thought after everything that had happened with Sky and with the responsibilities of raising a child of her own, that she might have just settled down a bit… Or maybe not._

"Oh my god Sophie, what have you done?" Donna asked, her mouth falling open as she shook her head at her daughter.

Peering back up at her parents, Sophie smiled nervously. "Nothing Mom." She answered quietly, placing a chattering Emma onto her other hip and kissing her forehead. "It was just a kiss."

"SOPHIE!" Donna cried, feeling Sam's grip tighten around her waist. "What the hell are you doing?" She asked, her voice still raised as Sophie began shouting back at her, telling her parents it was nothing more than that.

Lifting his wife off the ground, Sam literally dragged her away to their room. She was now in a full blown screaming match with their daughter, as he managed to get her up the steps to the reception. Donna was angry, knowing her daughter had probably already fallen for the handsome new worker, when he'd only been here less than a week. It wasn't that fact that she didn't want Sophie to be happy, it was the fact that she always took things so god damn fast. Finally reaching the bedroom, Sam let his wife go and shook his head at her. He wasn't happy about the situation either, but he didn't like to see his two girls at war with each other and knew it be better if they both had time to cool off. Everything had been so perfect over the past twenty-four hours and now Donna was back to her usual stressed self, making Sam realise that the next part of his surprise for her, was definitely what she needed.

"I can't believe her sometimes." Said Donna, sitting down on the edge of the bed, as Sam walked over to her.

Parting his wife's legs with his knees, Sam moved in between them and pushed her back against the bed. "I know sweetheart, but she's an adult with her own mind." He said calmly, moving on top of her and pinning her arms above her head. "You really shouldn't get so worked up."

Staring back into her husband's eyes, Donna could feel her anger starting to melt away. She couldn't believe Sam was being so calm about things, but it made her wonder if she might have overreacted with their daughter. Sophie had said it was just a kiss and the right thing to do would be to give her the benefit of the doubt. At least she knew now that her mother was far from impressed with her and that if she carried things on further with Ryan, then she'd have to deal with any heartache on her own. Donna had said her piece and now she knew the right thing to do, was just let her daughter get on with her own life. She didn't feel like it right now, but Donna would always be there for Sophie no matter what. It was what mothers were for.

"You're right again." Whispered Donna, still staring into Sam's eyes and feeling the pressure of his body on top of hers. "And again… I hate you for it." She added, finally allowing herself to smile, as he leaned in close to give her a slow, tender kiss.

Feeling himself becoming aroused with his wife beneath him, Sam gave her one last kiss and slowly moved away from her. "Well you can show me just how much later." He said, checking the time on his watch as he stood up. "But right now, we have to pack."

Resting up on her elbows, Donna looked up at her husband with a confused expression. "Pack?" She repeated, not quite sure if she'd actually heard him right.

Smiling, Sam walked over to the wardrobe and pulled down their holdalls from above it. "Yes darling, Pack… We're getting away for a few days, just you and me." He replied, throwing the bags down on the bed next to his wife. "A sort of second honeymoon."

"What? You've gotta be kidding me?" Said Donna, shaking her head and quickly standing from the bed. "How can we go away?… What about Max? What about this place?"

"All sorted." Sam responded quickly, opening the wardrobe and pulling out a few of his shirts to throw on the bed.

Slowly nodding, Donna stood and watched her husband then repeat the process with his jeans. "Right, of course it is. Why should I think otherwise?" She said in a low voice, rolling her eyes at Sam when he turned to smile at her. "So where are we going?" She then asked, as a small smile curled the corners of her mouth.

"Paris." Sam answered simply, walking over to his wife and placing his hands on her hips.

"Paris? But it's the middle of winter, it'll be freezing there." Said Donna, shaking her head at the thought of leaving the still hot weather of Greece.

Pulling his wife into his arms, Sam raised his eyebrows at her. "Well then it's a good job you've got me to keep you warm sweetheart." He said, flashing her a cheeky smile, before attacking her neck with wet, hungry kisses and making her giggle.

Yet again, Sam had proven he was full of surprises. Ever the romantic, he had decided to take his wife back to place where their love had first flourished all those many years ago… _The city of love, the city of romance, where Sam Carmichael first laid eyes on a beautiful young blonde girl by the name of Donna Sheridan…_

* * *

A.N. Thanks for reading all! Next chapter will be on the 'Love Knows' story and after that, 'Strummer'… Loads of Love, Liv x


	21. Chapter 21 Second Honeymoon

N.B. Well time for a lil bit of MM! Sorry to all for not updating this story earlier, but I have been having way too much fun writing the Strummer lol So here it is, the next instalment of the Sequel… Love, as always, to M & V, love you both! MWAHS! Xxx

Wanted to give a little mention to Lisa too… I know you are going through a very bad time hunni, but be strong and keep your chin up. I'm here if you need to talk… HUGS x

* * *

Chapter 21 Second Honeymoon

* * *

When leaving the villa to embark on their short break to Paris, Sam had literally had to drag his wife away. Donna had got emotional at the thought of leaving her baby boy for the very first time and had shed a few tears as she handed the babbling tot over to her best friends. She knew Max was in safe hands with the Dynamos, but that didn't stop the aching in her chest that stayed with her all the way to the airport on the mainland. Sam was carrying their bags, walking slightly ahead of her, when they entered the main departures building of the Greek airport. Calling the number for the hotel on her husband's cell, Donna let Sam go head to the enquiries desk, while she checked up on their son. After Rosie had assured Donna that Max was perfectly fine, she hung up and walked over to look at the departure board. There was only one flight leaving for Paris, but that wasn't due to take off for another three hours. Donna couldn't understand why Sam had made them leave for the airport so early and stood there shaking her head as he walked over to join her, luggage still in hand. He was smiling, knowing his wife was about to start asking him questions and knowing they had to hurry.

"Sam, the next flight to Paris isn't for another three hours." Said Donna, pointing up to the screen and turning her head to look at him. "Is there any reason we had to get here so early? We could've spent a bit more time with the kids."

Smiling, Sam placed both their holdalls in one hand. "We're not getting that plane sweetheart." He replied, throwing his arm around Donna's shoulder and guiding her through the terminal. "I thought my beautiful wife might want to travel in the lap of luxury." He continued, guiding her to a small desk by one of the smaller departure gates.

Donna was confused, narrowing her eyes at her husband as she watched him pass their passports over to a Greek lady, who had already greeted him personally by name. Retrieving the passports, Sam grinned at Donna and took her hand as they were ushered through a door and down some steps. The lady opened the door leading out to the tarmac and wished the Carmichael's a good flight to France. Looking ahead of her, Donna's jaw dropped open. A small private jet was awaiting them, with the two pilots already onboard waiting to depart. She couldn't believe Sam had done this for her, for them, but it was definitely the perfect way to start their second honeymoon, albeit a very short one. A huge smile spread across Donna's face as they walked the short distance to the steps leading up to the doors of the plane and Sam kept a tight hold on her hand. It turned out Sam had been very busy indeed, planning not only their renewed wedding vows, but this little surprise as well. It was a like a fairytale for Donna, going back to the place they had first met all those many years ago and on a privately own jet too.

"Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael." Said a cheery official looking man. "Please mind the steps." He added with a smile and moving aside so the couple could board the jet.

Walking in and looking around, Donna found herself speechless, much to the amusement of her husband. Sam thanked the guy who welcomed them at the steps and waited for him to leave, securely closing the plane doors behind him. He then placed their luggage down and turned to face his still speechless wife. Moving closer to her, Sam pulled Donna into his arms and leant in for a kiss. Donna reciprocated, placing her arms around her husband's neck and feeling herself relax against his masculine frame. All thoughts of the children and the villa, temporarily dissolved from her mind as she melted into their loving kiss. Sam's arms were wrapped tightly around his wife's waist holding her close, until the Captain walked out from the cockpit and cleared his throat to subtly make his presence known to the couple. Donna giggled softly as Sam let her go and gave her a wink, before turning round to face the pilot.

"Sorry to interrupt you Mr. Carmichael." Said the man in a smart looking uniform. "I'm Captain Jim Marsh and will be in charge of your flight into Paris." He continued, holding out his hand to shake Sam's, as Donna took a seat on a luxurious cream leather sofa and smiled up at them. "Anything you need to ask before we set off?"

Smirking, Sam slowly nodded. "Can I ask that we're given total privacy until we land?" He asked quietly, as not to embarrass his wife, who was now already opening the chilled bottle of Champagne she'd found on a table nearby.

Now smirking too, Captain Marsh nodded. "Not a problem Mr. Carmichael. Enjoy the fight sir." He replied, turning and walking back into the cockpit, locking the door.

Turning back to his wife, Sam smiled sweetly at her when she held a glass of the bubbly liquid out for him and motioned for him to take a seat next to her on the long sofa taking up one side of the small plane. He took the glass and did as she asked, clinking glasses with Donna's as he slid next to her and placed another quick kiss on her lips. She still hadn't said anything since they boarded the jet, but the twinkle in her eye and the smile on her face, let him know she was very impressed with what he'd organised for them. Taking a sip of Krystal Champagne, Donna peered round at her surroundings, still trying to take everything in and giggled when she turned her attention back to her husband. She had never travelled by private jet before, but she got the impression it wasn't the first time her husband had.

"So can I ask how you managed this?" Donna finally asked, placing her hand on Sam's knee and taking another sip of her drink as she gazed into his eyes.

Taking a sip of his own drink, Sam nodded. "I called in a favour." He answered, leaning forward to plant a tender kiss on the tip of his wife's nose, causing her to laugh.

"Who from, Hugh Heffner?" Donna said, still laughing and looking back round at the décor. "You know, I always wanted to meet him." She finished, peering back at Sam and topping up their glasses with the expensive bottle of Krystal.

"Why?" Asked Sam frowning, wondering why his beautiful wife would ever want to meet the old Playboy founder.

Holding back a laugh, Donna kept a straight face. "Well he's into blondes and he's extremely rich. Does that answer your question darling?" She responded, watching her husband feign a hurt expression and still managing not to burst out laughing.

Placing his glass down in a sunken cup-holder, Sam moved even closer to Donna. "Well so am I." He whispered, by her ear before placing a trail of slow seductive kisses on her neck.

Hearing the engines start up on the plane and Captain Marsh announce over the intercom, that they would be talking off in a few minutes, Sam paused from his kisses. He took his wife's hand and pulled her up to sit in two large forward facing chairs for the take off. Fastening their seatbelts, the Carmichael's held hands and the plane began to move away from the terminal building and start its taxi towards the runway. It wasn't much longer until they were up in the air and on their way to the romantic city of Paris. Donna rested her head on her husband's shoulder, closing her eyes and allowing the peaceful lull of the engines to relax her. Having other ideas rather than taking a nap, Sam ran his hand up Donna's leg, making her jump and causing her to open her eyes to look up at him. The first thing she noticed was his cheeky smile and then the trademark wiggle of his eyebrows, alerting Donna of her husband's plans for them. She shook her head and giggled, as Sam unbuckled her seatbelt and pulled her closer towards him.

"What do you think you're doing Sam?" Whispered Donna, closing her eyes at the sensation of her husband now placing slow, teasing kisses along her jaw line.

Pausing and looking up into Donna's eyes, Sam smiled at her. "I thought we could earn you your membership sweetheart." He answered, unbuckling his seatbelt and getting up to stand in front of her. "Into the mile high club." He continued, holding his hand out to Donna and pulling her into his arms when she took it.

Laughing, Donna ran her hands down the front of Sam's shirt. "Oh you did?" She asked, toying with the buttons and biting her lip as she stared into his eyes.

Nodding, Sam ran his hands down Donna's side, gathering the fabric of her top and slowly easing it up over her body. She played along, raising her arms and allowing her husband to pull the black t-shirt completely off, throwing to the side. Now stood in her jeans and bra, Donna levelled the playing field and swiftly helped her husband to slip out of his shirt, before working on the buckle of his belt. Sam cupped his wife's face in his hands and leaned in close for a kiss, running the tip of his tongue across her slightly parted lips. Finally undoing her husband's jeans, Donna was in the process of easing them down, fast becoming turned on at the thought of what they were about to do. She smiled, feeling Sam walking her backwards and pushing her down onto the cream leather sofa, as he stepped out of his jeans and knelt down to rest between her legs. They didn't say a word, simply staring lovingly into one another's eyes, as Sam unbuttoned his wife's jeans and pulled them down, along with her slinky panties. It may have been a risky situation, but Donna knew Sam would've assured their privacy with the pilots beforehand, having this in mind all along. She raised her hips to allow Sam to remove her clothing and gasped quietly as he started to kiss his way up her body. Leaving a trail of wet, kisses on his way up over his wife's flat stomach, he slid his hands behind her back, to unhook her black bra. Donna was now fully exposed to him, as he pressed himself against her and moved them to lie down on the sofa.

"You're beautiful." Sam whispered, taking in the sight of his wife's pert breasts and then looking up into her green eyes. "So beautiful."

Smiling, Donna ran her hands through her husband's hair, bringing them to a rest at the back of his neck. She knew his words were sincere and it made her feel so wanted, as she guided his head towards hers and smothered his lips with her own. Their kiss was soon deep and passionate, tongues entwining as they played against each other. Sam slid his hand between their bodies, over Donna's stomach and directly between her legs. His fingers moved gently against her womanhood, taking his time working on her clitoris, knowing what effect it always had on her. It worked. Within a few seconds, Donna was moaning into his mouth, feeling herself getting wet for him in an instant. Sam was turned on too, but wanting to pleasure his wife first, he answered her body's silent plea and slid two fingers into her. He could feel that she was ready for him, so after a few minutes of his sensual foreplay, Sam withdrew his touch and replaced it with his solid erection. They both moaned in unison, their bodies moving against each other's in a slow, rhythmic motion. Donna broke from their deep kiss, to breathe much needed air into her lungs and raked her nails across Sam's shoulders when he cupped one of her breasts in his hand and placed his mouth over her rock hard nipple. He played with it, flicking it with his tongue, before nipping it between his teeth. Donna was slowly been teased towards to point of no return, her body writhing beneath her husband's, needing him to go deeper. She parted her legs further, feeling Sam picking up the pace within her and moaning at the sensational feeling she was giving him.

"Oh Sammmm." Moaned Donna quietly, guiding his head back up to hers.

Sliding his arm under his wife's body, Sam kissed her with force as he grabbed hold of her ass cheek, holding her in place and pumping harder into her. The soft leather sofa beneath their hot bodies, was now sticking to them and causing them both to perspire more, but it wasn't going to stop them now. They were too lost in the moment to care about that or anything else and knowing they would be reaching their sexual peak at any minute. Donna could feel herself fast approaching a climax and wrapped her legs tighter around her husband's waist, squeezing her pelvic floor muscles as she did. The feeling was unbelievably intense for Sam, making him groan desperately into his wife's mouth. A few more strategic thrusts and Donna was there, as too was her husband. They came together, grinding against each other and prolonging the amazing feeling for as long as they could. Donna's chest was heaving, as she finally relaxed her legs to her husband's sides and slowly parted from their kiss. Sam held her close for a few moments, smiling as he planted soft kisses on her lips as way of a thank you.

"Welcome to the club Mrs. Carmichael." Said Sam with a small chuckle, as he slowly withdrew from his wife and adjusted his underwear.

Laughing, Donna sat up and retrieved her underwear from the floor. "Why thank you Mr. Carmichael." She replied, pulling her panties back on, along with her jeans.

After getting themselves redressed, the Carmichael's settled back in their seats for the rest of the short flight and sipped on the last of the Champagne whilst they talked. It felt good to share some much needed time to themselves, without the pressure of running the hotel and looking after their family. With everything that had gone on over the past year, this was definitely what they both needed to ensure their marriage stayed on track this time. Even though their time spent in France would only be a few days, Sam was determined to make the most of it and show his precious wife just how much she meant to him.

* * *

Walking into their large suite at The Ritz, the first thing Sam did was run his wife a hot bath. The weather outside was positively freezing and far from what Donna was used to back in Greece, making her shiver all the way from the airport. It was early evening and before he made dinner reservations for the hotel's award winning restaurant, Sam called the villa to check up on the kids. Ben had answered the phone and chatted to his father for a while, telling him all was alright and that baby Max was already snuggled up in bed. Hanging up after ending the conversation, by telling his son to be good, Sam then rang the reception to reserve a table and went to check on his wife. He walked into the huge bathroom and smiled at the sight of his wife actually snoozing as she laid in the bath. Donna had only been in there a matter of minutes, but Sam figured she was tired due to the lack of sleep the night before and from the amount of times they'd made love since then. Sitting down at the edge of the bathtub, Sam leant forward and gently stroked the hair away from Donna's face, causing her to open her eyes and look up at him.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry darling." She said apologetically, placing her wet hand over his and turning her head slightly to kiss his palm. "I don't know what came over me, but I'm just so tired."

"You don't have to apologise sweetheart. I want you to relax while we're here." Replied Sam, tenderly stroking his wife's cheek with his thumb. "I booked us a table in the restaurant downstairs, but how about we scrap that and order some room service instead? At least we'll be fresh to go exploring tomorrow morning then." He suggested, then leaning forward to plant a kiss on her lips before standing up.

Peering up at her thoughtful husband, Donna smiled sweetly at him. "Only if you're sure." She said, sitting up in the warm water and grabbing the facecloth.

"I'm sure beautiful." Sam responded, giving her a wink as he left Donna to finish her bath off in peace.

A few minutes later, Donna let the water out of the bathtub and climbed out. She got dry and wrapped herself in a complimentary robe before walking out to join her husband in the bedroom. Sam was lying on the bed, flicking through the channels on the TV and smiled when Donna climbed on to join him. It didn't take her long to get comfortable, snuggling up close against him and resting her head on his chest. As she relaxed, Donna's mind started to wander back to thoughts of her baby boy and the shouting match she'd had with Sophie before she left Greece. Noticing his wife's silence, Sam hooked his finger under her chin and guided her face up to meet his.

"What are you thinking about darling?" Asked Sam, gazing deeply into Donna's ocean green eyes.

Sighing, Donna ran her hand over the front of Sam's shirt. "The kids." She replied simply, making him smile at her. "Do you think Max is okay without us there?"

Placing a kiss on her forehead, Sam gave Donna a tight squeeze. "I spoke to Ben and Max is fine. He's already in bed. The boys are actually staying in tonight to look after him and Emma." He continued, shaking his head at the thought of his older sons babysitting instead of partying. "Amazing isn't it?"

Thinking about what her husband just said, Donna frowned. "They're looking after Emma? So where is Sophie?" She asked, wondering why the boys would be looking after her grandchild too.

Sam didn't reply straight away, knowing his wife wasn't going to be happy with his answer. "Are you ready to order something to eat? I'm starving." He finally came back with, still holding his wife in his arms as he reached over to the bedside table to pick up the menu. "They have oysters, do you fancy some?" He continued, totally avoiding the topic of their daughter's whereabouts and scanning over the room service menu.

As if she would fall for that. Donna removed her husband's arm from around her and sat bolt upright. She could feel her whole body suddenly tensing up as she turned to look at Sam. He was hiding something from her, although he had already well and truly dropped himself in it by mentioning what their son had told him over the phone a short while earlier. Donna knew he was probably only trying to protect her, or keep the peace, but he couldn't just say something like that and then change the subject without explaining. Keeping his eyes focused on the menu, Sam didn't even look up at his wife, but he could feel her silent stare burning right through him. He should've kept his mouth shut and then Donna would have been non the wiser about what was going on back in Greece, keeping her sweet in the process…_ Shit, I've done it now, _Sam thought to himself, finally looking up at her.

"Answer me Sam." Said Donna, her tone strict and low as she stared at him. "Where is Sophie going, that she requires someone to watch over her child?"

Sighing, Sam placed the menu down on the bed next to him. "You're not going to like it." He said, staring straight back into his wife's narrowed eyes. "But apparently, Sophie is going out on a date with Ryan tonight."

Shaking her head, Donna took a deep breath. "Oh and you weren't going to tell me?" She asked, her tone still low and now tinged with anger.

"I didn't want to because I knew you would react like this." Sam replied, keeping his voice calm, as he reached out to stroke his wife's cheek.

Turning her back on her husband, Donna rolled her eyes. "Well that's just great." She said quietly, laying down and closing her eyes.

Sighing, Sam looked down at her and shook his head. He knew she was pissed, but what he didn't know is if she was more pissed at him, or the situation back in Greece… _Their daughter was a grown woman, one that could make her own decisions and chose her own destiny. Donna was very protective over Sophie and rightly so. She had gone through a lot over the past few years, what with having a child of her own and being messed around by Sky. Without the love and support of her mother, Sophie was the first to admit that she probably wouldn't have got through it as well as she had and that she was eternally grateful for having her there along with her father… _He thought about it for a few moments. This was going to go one of two ways; they could argue about the fact the Donna needed to let go a little and give Sophie some space, or he could say something encouraging to humour her and get on with the rest of their short second honeymoon. Funnily enough, Sam decided on the latter.

"Turning your back on me isn't going to help." Sam teased, grabbing his wife's shoulder and pushing her onto her back. "You know you being angry turns me on darling." He continued, swiftly moving on top of her robed body and pinning her arms above her head as she tried to push him away.

"Yes well that says it all doesn't it Samuel?" Hissed Donna, watching her husband pout at her, mocking her anger. "Thinking more about getting laid, than what trouble your daughter might be getting into back at home."

Not rising to the bait, Sam moved his head closer to Donna's and forcefully pecked her lips. "Don't you worry your pretty little head woman. I already have Rosie and Tanya on the case. They're not going to let her do anything stupid now are they?" He said, with a smug smile as she stared back into his eyes. "Not if they have to answer to you anyway."

It didn't look like the light hearted banter was working as well as usual and Sam gave up, moving off his wife to let her be. He sat back down on his side of the bed and went back to reading through the room service menu. Not saying anything, Donna got up and walked out the bedroom. She needed a drink to calm her down and something strong at that. Looking at the shelf above the fully stocked mini-bar, Donna found just the thing, a nice bottle of scotch. Pouring herself a large measure, she took a sip and thought things through… _Her husband was right, the Dynamos would keep a close eye on her daughter and step in if they thought she was about to make a mistake. Her two best friends knew how she felt about Sophie rushing into things too fast and had been known to offer her advice on other occasions. For some reason, Sophie always seemed to listen to them, more than her and as long as her daughter listened, that was all that mattered… _Realising she had been far too hard on Sam, when all he was doing was trying to protect her, Donna downed her large scotch and went back to the bedroom to make it up to him.

"I'm sorry." Said Donna, pausing in the doorway and waiting for her husband to look up at her. "It's not your fault baby, I shouldn't have taken it out on you." She carried on, walking over to the bed and climbing on.

Sam was surprised it had taken so little time for his wife to come round and rested back against his pillow as he watched her crawling towards him. Coming to a stop, Donna hovered closely over her husband and smiled seductively at him before leaning in closer to tenderly kiss his lips. He didn't respond at first, wanting his wife to work hard at showing him just how sorry she was and when her hand slid down to the crotch of his jeans, she did just that. Donna was teasingly caressing him through the fabric and continuing her kisses to his now slightly parted lips, feeling his arousal growing under her touch. She would have carried on, taking it to the next level, if Sam hadn't been trying to play hard to get. Placing one last prolonged kiss on her husband's lips, Donna then sat up and grabbed the menu he'd been scrutinising over for so long.

"Okay what are we going to have to eat?" She asked cheerfully, checking out what the hotel had to offer and ignoring the smirk that had fallen upon her husband's face.

Playing Donna at her own game, Sam climbed off the bed. "Why don't you order us something and I'll go shower." He replied, unbuttoning his shirt as he then walked away towards the bathroom.

So Sam was going to make her wait and Donna was going to go along with him, knowing that when he eventually gave in, it would be worth it. There was no way he was going to bring her to the city of love and let a little argument ruin things between them, by withholding sex as a punishment. He was a man, he couldn't abstain for that long. Donna knew as soon as they'd eaten and settled into bed, she'd have her husband begging for it.

***************

After eating breakfast and downing copious cups of fresh coffee, the Carmichael's were ready to venture out for the day... _As Donna had predicted, Sam had caved in the previous night and literally begged her to make love to him, when he'd caught a flash of what she'd slipped into under her robe. Of course she had obliged and after spending hours making love, the early morning wake up call from the reception, hadn't really been a welcomed one. Sam had been the first to get up, running a shower and dragging his now naked wife in with him, waking her up fully… _Walking hand in hand with her husband through the hotel lobby, Donna pulled her full-length black winter coat tighter at the neck and braced herself for the cold Parisian day that was about to hit her. It was absolutely freezing as they began a slow stroll up Rue de la Paix and Sam threw his arm around his wife to warm her up. They were a fair few miles from the main attractions of the city, so after reaching a much busier street, he flagged down a taxi. There was somewhere he wanted to take his wife, somewhere that would bring back a few memories for her.

"It's so beautiful isn't it?" Said Donna, taking Sam's hand once more as they both got out the taxi.

Looking up the old cobbled street ahead of them, Sam nodded. "Yes it is." He replied, starting to walk and squeezing her hand. "Come with me, there's something I want to show you."

Turning a corner, Sam came to a stop and peered down the already busy street. They were not far from the Musee du Louvre, a place he knew his wife had loved to visit while she was travelling and somewhere that held fond memories for them both. Donna stared ahead at the street in front of her and took in the lines of restaurants and cafes that lined it. She instantly knew where Sam had brought her and her heart began to beat faster when she realised it had hardly changed at all in over twenty years… _It was the street where she and Sam had first bumped into each other and she had stared deeply into his eyes for the very first time. The memory was as vivid as ever; the way he had turned to look at her, the way he had smiled and the way his Irish/American accent had captured her heart when he apologised to her… _Donna's mouth curled into a soft smile, as she dreamily thought back to the encounter. Sam was now smiling too, staring at his wife as he pulled her into his arms.

"I take it you remember?" Sam said quietly, as Donna snapped out of her thoughts and gazed back into his steely blue eyes.

Smiling Donna nodded. "Of course I do. This is where you rudely barged passed me and nearly knocked me over." She answered, reaching up to place her glove covered hand on his cheek.

"Erm, I think you'll find it was the other way round darling." Sam responded, leaning in close to gently kiss his wife's soft lips.

Pulling back, Donna shook her head. "No. You apologised and then followed me into a café just up there." She said, turning her head and pointing up the road. "In fact, I think you might have been stalking me." She added with a small giggle, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Yes, but I got you in the end." Sam said, wiggling his eyebrows and pulling Donna in close for a deep, passionate kiss, much to the amusement of the people walking by.

Finally parting from their kiss, Sam took Donna's hand and guided her up the street. It was there, the café they had sat and talked in for hours, until Donna had had to leave to go and meet her friends for a gig they had lined up. Walking in, Sam ordered two coffees before they took a seat at a table for two by the window. The décor had changed quite a bit, but it was still the same place to them and Donna couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she sat next to her husband and gazed into his eyes… _It felt as though they had finally come full circle in their lives; this was the place their relationship had first bloomed and now after renewing their wedding vows, they were back here where it had all started. What had gone on in between was another matter. Parted for so many years, each secretly wanting the other and been thrown back together in a moment of madness…_

"I love you Sam." Whispered Donna, now completely overcome with emotion and feeling a stray tear tickle down her cheek.

Placing his hand on the back of her head, Sam guided his wife towards him. "And I love you Donna." He whispered in response, as he placed his lips to hers and slowly kissed her.

The heartfelt moment was soon interrupted by the waiter bringing their drinks to the table and putting them down in front of the couple, thanking them with a 'merci'. Silence fell over the Carmichael's as they sipped on their drinks and gazed out of the window, taking in the sights of the busy street outside. It wasn't long until they had both finished and Sam paid before they left, to make their way to the Louvre. There was a gentle cool breeze blowing as they walked the short distance and the sight of Donna's long blonde hair moving playfully over her shoulders, made Sam smile when he thought about how she hadn't changed in so many years. She was attracting looks from other guys, but Sam didn't care. He knew she was his and that was all that mattered.

**********

The whole day had been magical for the Carmichael's; revisiting all the places they had loved when they were here many years ago and stopping to buy gifts for everyone back home. Even though it was bitterly cold, Donna had started to forget about it whenever her husband wrapped his strong arms around her. Now hungry from the day's sightseeing, Sam suggested they get a taxi back to the hotel and have a few warming drinks in the bar before heading out for dinner later. They arrived back at the hotel a short while later and Donna sat at the bar, ordering a couple of scotches, whilst Sam went to the restrooms. The drinks were placed in front of her and as she picked hers up to take a sip, Donna was suddenly aware of someone staring at her. She looked up to find a man sat a few seats away at the bar, smiling at her.

"I'm sorry, but I have to ask." The man said in a French accent, picking up his drink and sliding closer towards her. "But you are her aren't you?" He asked, then sitting down on the stool next to Donna's and smiling at her.

Smiling, Donna shook her head. "Who?" She asked, taking a sip of her scotch and wondering if this guy was making some strange attempt at a chat up line.

"Donna." The man replied, pointing at her briefly and smiling. "Of Donna and the Dynamos… Am I right?" He continued, nodding as he watched her mouth drop open at being recognised after all these years. "I was one of your biggest fans when I worked behind the bar in La Bar Dix."

Casting her mind back, it didn't take Donna long to remember the nights of performing there. It was quite a big place, with a great crowd and thanks to the help of Rosie, they had managed to secure a few weeks work there to earn some much needed cash. Tanya of course had struck up a firm friendship with the young barman, ensuring the free drinks kept flowing all night and they didn't have to spend any of their hard earned money whilst getting drunk. Racking her brain, the man now sat beside her became familiar and she even remembered his name.

"Oh my god… Philippe?" Donna said with a gasp, when the Frenchman nodded. "I can't believed you recognised me. It's been so long since I left Paris and I take it you're no longer a barman?" She added, motioning to the smart suit he was wearing.

Shaking his head, Philippe laughed. "No I left that behind years ago. I actually own a string of bars and restaurants around France and as for recognising you… Well, no one could forget you in a hurry." He replied, smiling at Donna and noticing her blushing at his last comment. "So tell me… How are those crazy friends of yours? Are you still in touch?" He asked, taking a sip of his drink and gesturing the barman over to top Donna's up.

Donna filled Philippe in on the Dynamos and must have gotten carried away talking to him, as she hadn't even noticed her husband walk in to find her chatting to another man. Sam had surveyed the situation and as a surge of jealousy struck him, he had turned and simply walked away. He had left his wife for a matter of minutes and she hadn't even noticed he hadn't come straight back to her. Entering the elevator, Sam made his way up to their hotel suite, knowing Donna would eventually come looking for him and then she could explain herself as to why she had allowed herself to be chatted up by someone other than her husband. He was pissed off. What had started off as a day of romantic reminiscing, had now turned into one of hurt and mistrust.

* * *

A.N. I am so sorry this was so shit guys, but it seems I have lost my flow with it. Hopefully it will come back and I will carry on with it… I totally understand if no one comments on this one.. V V disappointed with myself for putting up such crap! Loads of love, Liv x


End file.
